The Gladiator Report
The Gladiators teams played at home at La Cañada High School last weekend against Pico Rivera and Arcadia.
JR. GREMLIN CARDINAL
The Gladiators Junior Gremlin Cardinal team performed well as they hosted the always-tough Dons from Pico Rivera.
The offense was clicking behind linemen Kyle Ramirez, Jake George, Henry Alvarez, Julian Martinez,Collin Saydah, Connor McGoldrick and Ian Goodstein. Quarterbacks Noah Kim and Andrew Van Ginkel passed the ball well, connecting with receivers Will McConnell and Kudzai Kachingwe for several long plays and two touchdowns. Running back Bobby Gazmarian made his presence known with strong bursts up the field against the Dons. Receivers Thomas McConnell, Jared Bourgault, Carson Oakland and Dylan McGoldrick rounded out the offensive attack with impressive blocking downfield and on the line.
Defensively, the Gladiators played their hearts out and kept the Dons contained for most of the game. Player of the Game awards were claimed by “super defensemen” Miles Haxton and Dylan McGoldrick, both of whom showed courage and poise in the open field by making solo touchdown-saving tackles (flag pulls). Defensive lineman Alvarez, Kim, Van Ginkel, Kachingwe, Connor McGoldrick, Saydah, Ramirez and Gazmarian all performed valiantly as well. Filling out the linebackers and secondary were Jared Bourgault, Will McConnell, Thomas McConnel, Goodstein and George.
JR. GREMLIN GOLD
The Junior Gremlin Gold team played an exciting game against the Arcadia Indians. Behind the outstanding blocking of Theo Chamberlain, Michael Doud, Drake Taylor, Tyler Breneman, William Stewart III and Ethan De la Cruz, quarterback Jason Rowton had plenty of time in the backfield to get the football into his running backs hands. Aidan Carlisle, Mitchell Espinosa, Garrett Creedon and Ronald Shin had successful runs on the day. Running back Elijah Washington had a great day as well as he had two outstanding touchdown runs.
On the defensive side of the ball, Brandon Lang and Daylen McWhorter held down the fort at the cornerback positions. Naar Sahakian played an outstanding middle linebacker as you could find him all over the field trying to get flags. The interior defensive line consisting of Peter Saliamonas, Walker Creedon, Jack Schwaiger and Luke Schwaiger gave the Arcadia quarterback problems all morning.
GREMLINS
The La Cañada Gremlins defeated a strong Arcadia Indians team, 13-0. The Gladiators were led on offense again this week by running backs Joey McClure and Ross Niederhaus who each scored a touchdown. The Gladiators are now 3-0 and are tied for the lead in the Arroyo Conference. Nick McConnell, Christopher Basso, Jax Jacinto, John Stephens, Charlie Bednar and Sam Brown had some great opportunities with the help of center Mason Gilmour, and the offensive line of Dominic Aguilar, Alex Espinosa, Matthew Gilmour, Skyler Payne, Kyle Tavizon, Gregory Stupakis, Thomas Lund, John Monroe and James Taylor. Quarterback Kyle Cheung also played a great game as well with touchdown passes to McClure and Niederhaus.
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line of Kyle Tavizon, Daivon Grayson, Max Burcher, Tanner Costi, Alex Espinosa, Wesley Hovanesian, Brett Gangi, Austin Willis, Matthew Wehrle, Drake Barron and Sam Unruh played exceptionally well. Linebackers Thomas Stea, Joey McClure, Nick McConnell and Christopher Basso proved to be a mighty force with several sacks and a fumble recovery. Safeties Kyle Cheung and Charlie Bednar were instrumental in the defensive attack.
JR. PEE WEE
The Gladiator Junior Pee Wee Team played a tough Arcadia Indian team and came-up short on the scoreboard, 25-6. The Gladiator offense, led by quarterback Austin Muller, fullback Tyler Laskey and halfback Connor Van Ginkel, moved the ball well in the first half and they scored on another long run by Van Ginkel, behind the offensive line of including Daniel Stayton, Evan Sillas, Jack McCloskey, Isaiah Nakama, Hunter Trowbridge, Sean Davitt and Joey Vasquez. Other players doing well on offense included quarterback Chris Bouchard, tight end Trent Bauer, receivers Mark Sassounian and Francisco Durazo, and halfback Joey Robertson.
The defense worked hard to keep the Gladiators in the game by forcing several turnovers and stopping Indian drives. Standouts included Grant Haxton, who had several tackles, Demetri Ghiatis, Donald Breneman, David Lee, Gair Pearson, Scotty Platisa, Adam Rowton and Zak Outlaw.
PEE WEE
Once again the Gladiator Pee Wee team lost a close battle, this time to the Arcadia Indians, 12-8. The Gladiators are now 0-2-1. The Indians took command early by scoring on the first play from scrimmage on a seven-yard slant pass that covered 70 yards. Arcadia added another touchdown just before the second quarter on a quarterback keeper around the right end. Lucas Rowton, Devon Willis, Mario Del Cueto, Brodie Felkel, Jourdon, Fayton, Lucas Velasquez, Daniel Del Valle, Philip Kwak, Paul Gamez, Erik Grothe, Zach Washington and Adam Fazzi anchored the defensive line. Paul Gandara, Ty Gangi and Josh and Tyler Riggs manned the linebacker spots and Will Richardson, Michael Breen and Shane Skelton roamed the secondary.
The Gladiators finally got their offense on track in the second half when quarterback Ty Gangi took off on an 80-yard run to the Indian five-yard line. From there, Tyler Riggs bulldozed his way into the end zone for six points. Mario “Auto” Del Cueto then kicked the two-point conversion to make the score 12-8. The last drive was kept alive by the hard running of Paul Gandara, Tyler Riggs and a phenomenal catch by wing-back Shane Skelton on fourth and five yards to go.
JR. MIDGET
On Saturday night the Jr. Midget Gladiators prevailed in a 22-20 nail-biter over last year’s Conference League Champion Arcadia Indians. The Gladiators are now 1-1.
The Gladiators’ Tairen Owens scampered 24 yards for the first score of the game. The Indians came back to tie after a 50-yard 12-play drive. The Gladiators’ offensive line of Tyler Zsebik, Alex Penate, Tyler McGinnis, Billy Kim, Andrew Ivankovich, Guillermo Hernandez, Jake Johnson and Raymond Jackson had several pancake blocks that allowed for a sustained 83-yard march down the field with a key 8-yard run by Joe Bozeman and a 11-yard run by Dennis Francis. The drive was highlighted by a spectacular leaping backwards 32-yard reception by Dylan Johnson from quarterback Cole Currie and capped off by another slashing 18-yard scoring run by Owens. Francis banged into the end zone on a power for the conversion; Gladiators 14-6.
The Gladiator defense stopped the Indians due to a strong defensive line effort by Nick Ruiz, who had several tackles for losses on the drive, Jake Johnson, Helio Higley, Victor Chavez, Dylan Robie and Zsebik. Mathew Singelyn had a key sack to help stop the drive. But the Gladiator offense was unable to move the ball despite great blocking efforts by Blake Shepherd, Joey Multari and Richard Lozano.
In the third quarter several promising Gladiator drives were halted by turnovers and penalties. A shoe-string tackle by Raymond Jackson that prevented an Indian score allowed Arcadia great field position, but the defensive line lead by Matthew Smyser, Chase Levra, Connor Smith, Chad Cosse and Mitch Camacho did a good job of slowing down the Indians. But Arcadia scored the go-ahead touchdown and made the two-point conversion to lead 20–14.
Midway through the fourth quarter Cole Currie intercepted a long Indian pass and returned it to the Gladiator 45-yard line. Owens got his third score of the game to tie, 20-20. Currie then dove in for the conversion to give the Gladiators a 22- 20 lead with only 2:58 left in the game. The Gladiator defense shut down the Indians from there to secure the win.
This report is compiled by team coaches and submitted weekly by Kevin Lacey, president of the La Cañada Gladiators.