Lyon and Hart Get Back at Valencia

When Valencia beat Newhall Hart last season, it not only ended 10 years of frustration for the Vikings -- the school’s entire existence -- it stopped a 65-game Foothill League winning streak and Hart’s 13-year run of league championships.

It also shamed Tyler Lyon.

But on Friday, Lyon won the quarterback battle with Valencia’s Michael Herrick as Hart, ranked No. 12 in the Southland by The Times, defeated the sixth-ranked Vikings, 17-14.

“I’ve never wanted to do anything as bad in my life,” said Lyon, who completed nine of 21 passes for 113 yards and rushed 12 times for 43 yards.

Hart took its only lead when Paul Weinstein kicked his fifth, and longest, field goal of the season, a 45-yarder with 4 minutes 10 seconds left to play.

Hart (7-1 overall, 3-0) had an answer for every Valencia success, stealing momentum from the Vikings (6-2, 2-1), who were playing their first on-campus game against their rival. Delano Howell rushed 10 times for 80 yards before spraining his ankle in the third quarter, and then James Wheeler carried eight times for 84.

Although Valencia scored on its first possession, going 78 yards without passing the ball, Hart scored 50 seconds before the half to tie the score, 7-7, after an 80-yard drive that took only 82 seconds. Howell rushed for 53 of those yards, including the final five.

Hart tied the score at 14-14, answering Valencia’s go-ahead touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 10-play, 80-yard drive culminated by Lyon’s one-yard sneak with 7:38 left.

Herrick completed 16 of 26 passes for 189 yards with one interception and moved into third place among California’s all-time passers with 9,444 yards. Shane Vereen rushed 18 times for 120 yards and a touchdown.

-- Martin Henderson

Santa Margarita 32, La Puente Bishop Amat 22 -- The Eagles arrived at Bishop Amat having lost their last three games and four of their last five. Another league setback would have dashed any hopes of gaining an automatic berth into the Division I playoffs.

But Jon Daniels passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns and tailback John Angelo rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown in 31 carries to lead No. 22 Santa Margarita (4-4, 1-2) to its first Serra League win of the season.

Daniel Robles passed for 196 yards and two touchdowns but also had two intercepted for No. 20 Bishop Amat (5-3, 1-2). Dominique Gaisie had 62 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries.

-- Mike Terry

Tujunga Verdugo Hills 24, Canoga Park 10 -- Bryce Freeman returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and caught a 64-yard pass for a fourth-quarter score to help the Dons (5-2, 3-0) virtually clinch the Sunset Six League title at Verdugo Hills.

Verdugo Hills built a 17-0 halftime lead, but the Hunters (6-2, 2-1) rallied in the third quarter to draw within 17-10. Darren Hightower fumbled the ball on the Dons’ first play of the second half and Jose Martinez of Canoga Park recovered it. Five plays later, Hunter quarterback Vincent Argott ran for a one-yard touchdown. Andy Munoz added a 32-yard field goal with 56 seconds left in the third quarter.

-- Mayar Zokaei