Sylmar Is in League of Its Own

With David Contreras scoring six touchdowns, Sylmar High extended its winning streak in league play to a state-record 69 games with a 56-15 victory over Van Nuys in a Valley Mission League game Friday night at Sylmar.

“I would be lying if I said it wasn’t important,” Sylmar Coach Jeff Engilman said. “I told the players before the game that not many contribute to a state record. This is the culmination for every player who has played for me for the past 10 years.”

The Spartans (5-2, 2-0 in league play) had shared the record with Salinas Palma, which lost its league opener this season. Sylmar began the streak in 1989 and won every Pac-8 Conference title in the 1990s.

The City Section’s realignment put the Spartans in the Valley Mission League this season.

After being stopped on downs at the Van Nuys six-yard line on its first possession, Sylmar scored the next three times it had the ball. Quarterback John Valdez ran from three yards on fourth-and-goal, concluding a 29-yard drive that began with his 22-yard pass to Isidro Medina.

Contreras had a 43-yard run for a score on fourth-and-one for the Spartans’ second touchdown. Valdez, who completed seven of 10 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, connected with Phil Samano on a 16-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter.

The Wolves (1-6, 0-2) narrowed the margin to 21-7 four minutes before halftime on Yesel Manrique’s one-yard run, 11 plays after Van Nuys recovered a fumble on the Spartans’ 45.

Donell Livingston of Sylmar intercepted a pass in the final minute of the first half and returned it to the Van Nuys 18. Valdez scrambled 15 yards, and Contreras scored two plays later from the one with seven seconds left in the half for a 28-7 lead.

Contreras ran for 146 yards in 19 carries, including nine and eight-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter and a 16-yard score with 1:35 to play.