South Hills High School Varsity Football Team

MONROVIA – With South Hills High School starting quarterback Vincent Hernandez taking the night off because of a lingering shoulder injury, the Huskies leaned on running back Jamel Hart.

The senior delivered, scoring two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help South Hills rally past host Monrovia 34-30 on Friday to improve to 2-2. The defending CIF-SS Mid-Valley Division champion Wildcats lost their third consecutive to fall to 1-3.

Hart, who finished with 155 yards on 30 carries, took over late in the third quarter after Wildcats quarterback Blake Heyworth hooked up with Anthony Craft for a 49-yard touchdown to take a 24-20 lead with 4:42 left in the third.

On the ensuing series, the Huskies marched 65 yards in 11 plays, with Hart carrying it nine times on the drive for 56 yards. He capped the march with a 10-yard touchdown run to move the Huskies in front, 27-24, a minute into the fourth quarter.

“That’s kind of what you want to do, score early and run the ball late to secure wins,” South Hills coach Steve Bogan said. “Jamel was able to wear them down, you can see it in the third and fourth quarters. He was getting big chunks of yards.”

After a 33-yard run later in the fourth, Hart scored again on a 4-yard touchdown to extend the Huskies’ lead to 34-24 with 9:09 left.

The Wildcats made it close on the final play of the game when Heyworth threw a 37-yard Hail Mary that Luke Williams came down with as time expired to make it 34-30.

Heyworth, who split time at QB with George Frazier, had a solid night, throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Frazier, meanwhile, threw for only 69 yards with an interception.

The Wildcats had problems running the ball consistently. Marquise Bias had 37 yards on nine carries, and De’Shawn Ramirez had four carries for a net minus-two yards.

Ramirez did catch four passes for 83 yards – one a spectacular one-handed grab for a 54-yard touchdown in the first quarter that tied the score 7-7.

Even though it was a another loss, Wildcats coach Ryan Maddox thinks it will be worth it down the line.

WEST COVINA – Just another classic on Cameron Ave.

That was the feeling after West Covina survived a furious fourth-quarter rally from visiting South Hills to pull out a 35-33 victory on Friday.

The Bulldogs built a 35-14 lead going into the fourth quarter behind four touchdowns and 242 yards from Jimmy Frazier.

But the Huskies scored three touchdowns in the fourth to nearly send it to overtime.

Just when the Bulldogs were about to apply the finishing touches, the Huskies’ Vince Hernandez returned a fumble for an 83-yard score to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 35-27 with 7:48 left.

After another Bulldogs fumble deep in South Hills territory, Hernandez hooked up with Jamie Canada for a 69-yard touchdown pass with 1:29 left to cut it to 35-33.

The Huskies, who had an extra point blocked earlier, missed the game-tying two-point conversion when Hernandez’s pass attempt came up short.

South Hills certainly had reason to feel like it let one slip away.

Hernandez threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions – one at the goal-line at the end of the first half, and another in the end zone early in the second half.

Canada also had an amazing night, hauling in eight receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns, showing why he’s considered the best wideout in the Valley.

But the Huskies couldn’t stop the Bulldogs on the ground. In addition to Frazier’s 242 yards, Aaron Salgado rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs amassed over 400 yards on the ground.

But it also was Salgado who committed two fourth quarter fumbles in the red zone that kept West Covina from sealing the deal much earlier.

But it was one of those games, the Huskies with four turnovers, the Bulldogs with three and enough offense from both to produce a thrilling finish.

West Covina improved to 2-1 while South Hills dropped to 1-2.

“They had trouble stopping our run, and we had trouble stopping their pass,” West Covina coach Mike Maggiore said. “I didn’t want it to be that close, not after we were up three touchdowns. We ran the ball well, especially against a defense that knew we were going to run the ball, but we turned it over late when I thought we were going to score.

“But it works both ways. we got some breaks too. They threw a couple picks in the end zone.”

After Brayton Newton caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Hernandez to trim West Covina’s lead to 21-14, Frazier went crazy, scoring on runs of 65 and 58 yards to close the third quarter, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 35-14.

From: sgvtribune.com ~ Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer

COVINA – With the prospect of having to play defending CIF champions West Covina and Monrovia in its next two games, South Hills got just what it needed Friday night against St. Monica.

The visiting Mariners made the long drive from Santa Monica and proved to be no match for the Huskies, who rolled to a 61-0 victory.

The Huskies (1-1) raced out to a 33-0 halftime lead, were able to play three quarterbacks and saw all four of their running backs score touchdowns.

St. Monica (1-1), a defending league champion in its own right, was unable to do anything on offense, crossing the 50-yard line just once.

“I think they were just outmatched tonight,” South Hills coach Steve Bogan said. “It’s nice when you’re in a situation where we executed well and took care of business.”

Took care of business they did, with quarterback Vince Hernandez completing 14 of 17 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns. All three touchdowns went to wideout Jamie Canada, who finished the game with 82 yards on five catches.

South Hills running back Jamel Hart rushed for three touchdowns, carrying the ball 13 times for 124 yards.

Even after pulling many of its starters, the Huskies’ offense, which outgained St.Monica 439 yards to 121, kept the ball on the ground and still couldn’t be stopped.

Sophomore running back Lewon Carney gave South Hills a 47-0 lead late in the third quarter, running over several defenders for a 12-yard touchdown.

Senior Michael Bridgewater got his opportunity next and carried the ball four times for 45 yards, including a touchdown run from 3 yards out.

Another senior, Ralph Bingochea, capped off the scoring for the Huskies with an 8-yard touchdown run with 2:40 left to play.

“It was great to give a lot of kids opportunities to touch the ball and get on the field, mix it up, and have a good time,” Bogan said.

Leading 13-0 early in the second quarter, Manny Alvarez ended St. Monica’s only scoring threat by intercepting quarterback Lukas Dretzka’s pass at the South Hills 22.

That led to the first of Hart’s three scores, a 16-yard burst up the middle.

The Mariners gave it right back to the Huskies, fumbling the ensuing kickoff. Adam Goss scooped up the loose ball and returned it to the St. Monica 4.

Hernandez followed with his third touchdown pass of the game, lobbing the ball to Canada in the corner of the end zone.

From: sgvtribune.com ~ Bruce Little, Correspondent