Crescenta Valley football tops Muir for share of Pacific League title
With at share of the Pacific League championship at stake, the Crescenta Valley High football team had its biggest test of the season Friday.
In a battle of the two league heavyweights and two teams ranked atop their respective CIF Southern Section divisions, it was expected the Falcons and Mustangs would grind it out throughout the 48-minute contest to see which squad would get the upper hand in league.
Crescenta Valley flourished on both side of the ball en route to a 28-14 league home win against Muir on Friday at Glendale High’s Moyse Field.
With the win, Crescenta Valley (9-0, 5-0 in league) gained a share of the league title, which it last won in 2016. Crescenta Valley can win an outright league championship with a victory against rival Arcadia on Thursday or a loss by Muir (7-2, 4-1) against Pasadena.
The victory might have come at a price, however, as Falcons’ starting quarterback Chase Center suffered what appeared to be a right knee or leg injury following a short run late in the fourth quarterback. Center, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 134 yards, to go along with one touchdown pass and two interceptions, was helped off the field by the training staff. However, the senior walked on his own power to the end zone to celebrate with his teammates after the game concluded.
“It’s great to get a share of league and we’ll look to close it out against Arcadia,” Crescenta Valley first-year coach Hudson Gossard said. “This was a battle of heavyweight teams and Muir has been a legendary teams in the Pacific League for years.
“To come out and get a piece of league against that team is great and I’m very happy for our guys. With Chase, we’ll have to see what’s the extent of the injury. I can’t speculate.”
The Falcons took a 7-0 lead on a 11-yard touchdown pass from Center to Angel Ochoa on fourth and 10 with 4:36 left in the first quarter.
Muir tied it at 7 on an 89-yard touchdown run by running back Tyrikk Lawson (120 yards rushing in six carries) with 10:36 to go in the second quarter.
Crescenta Valley’s PJ Weinmann excelled on special teams blocking a punt at the Muir 24-yard line later in the second quarter.
The Falcons cashed in on a four-yard touchdown run by Maximus Grant (80 yards rushing in 16 carries) to give Crescenta Valley a 14-7 lead with 4:24 remaining in the first half.
Crescenta Valley, ranked No. 1 in Division X, extended the lead to 21-7 on a one-yard touchdown run by Sebastian Deleon with 7:28 to go in the third quarter.
Deleon made it 28-7 on an 11-yard run with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs (No. 1 in Division XI), capped the scoring on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Erik Wallace to Calen Bullock with 42 seconds to go.
Ochia finished with three catches for 64 yards for the Falcons.
