Leuzinger Back Takes a Big Step

Victor McClendon wants to gain 1,000 yards. He has been a varsity running back since he was a freshman, and he has topped 900 yards in each of his three seasons, but has yet to break into quadruple digits.

That’s probably going to change.

McClendon played his first game of his senior season on Friday, and rushed 27 times for 182 yards in leading Lawndale Leuzinger to a 28-21 nonleague upset of Los Alamitos, a result that knocked Los Alamitos out of The Times’ Top 25.

Leuzinger is 1-1-1, but might be considerably better than that with McClendon in the lineup. McClendon didn’t play the first two games, when Leuzinger tied Camarillo and lost to Tustin. He was out of the lineup because of a suspension for violating team rules.

“He paid his debt,” said Leuzinger Coach Mike Whitt, who wouldn’t go into detail.”He did his time, and practiced his tail off on the scout team.

“Our team speed is a notch higher when he’s in the lineup.”

A wingback on offense, McClendon also plays strong safety.

“It was pretty difficult to be out of the lineup, knowing I could have had an impact in those games,” McClendon said. “I just felt I had to make up for the two games I missed.”

McClendon provided Leuzinger’s margin of victory with an 11-yard fourth quarter touchdown and two-point conversion run.

He also caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Charles Lewis, one of three passes Lewis attempted out of the Olympians’ double-wing formation.