Second-half collapse once again brings down Nitros
ARCADIA — First halves haven’t been the problem this season for the Glendale High football team. Seconds halves are an entirely different situation.
It’s been a consistent theme for the Nitros and Friday night proved to be another chapter in the never-ending saga.
Glendale stayed close for the first half, but then surrendered 28 second-half points in a 49-14 Pacific League loss against host Arcadia on Friday night.
The Nitros dropped to 0-9, 0-6 in league with a regular-season finale against cross-town rival Hoover next Friday at Moyse Field. Arcadia improved to 6-3, 5-1 and still remains in the hunt for the league championship.
The teams were deadlocked at 14 late in the second quarter before the Apaches scored a late touchdown to make it 21-14. Then things went down hill for the Nitros, who finished with five turnovers.
“We didn’t make the plays once again,” Glendale second-year Coach Alan Eberhart said. “Our leaders are not leading and I’m disappointed.
“We are not getting any better and we don’t play with any spunk. We had five turnovers and we gave them the ball in great field position.”
Arcadia jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the Nitros bounced back quickly with a pair of touchdowns in less than three minutes. Glendale quarterback Alex Yoon scored on a one-yard run to make it 14-7 with 5:28 left in the second quarter and Yoon then lofted a 68-yard touchdown pass to Michael Davis with 2:31 remaining to knot the score at 14.
Glendale then saw the Apaches score on their ensuing possession when quarterback Myles Carr connected with standout wide receiver Taylor Lagace on a 35-yard strike to make it 21-14 with 1:08 left in the opening half.
“We were in the game and we believed in ourselves a little more [at halftime],” said Eberhart, who received 79 yards rushing in 16 carries from Chan Kim. “We just never gave ourselves a chance [in the second half].”
Brian Ponce scored on a one-yard run to make it 28-14 with 5:12 left in the third quarter and then Sheldon McKinley made it 35-14 on an 11-yard run with 1:03 left in the third stanza.
Arcadia’s last two scores came after Glendale fumbles.
Lagace, who caught a 48-yard touchdown pass on the Apaches’ first play from scrimmage in the game, caught four passes for 128 yards.
The Nitros, who have lost 16 contests in a row dating back to last season, finished with 269 yards of total defense. Yoon completed three of seven passes for 85 yards and one interception.
