Football:
Jumping from CIF-SS Division 13 to D-11 in one year is a big step.
It’s also going to be difficult without your starting left tackle and left guard, and losing both running backs in the second quarter doesn’t help.
But Maranatha battled their butts off in a 25-7 loss at Cantwell Sacred Heart.
Luke McNulty went 14-of-23 for 141 yards.
McNulty found Camden Jones on an 8-yard scoring strike to give the Minutemen a 7-0 first-quarter lead.
The Cardinals, though, would outscore Maranatha, 25-0, the rest of the way.
Miles O’Malley gained 44 yards on seven carries, and Dejohn Jones carried the ball six times for 25 yards before both left the game with injuries.
Bradley Loiacono had four receptions for 68 yards to lead the Maranatha receiving corps.
Jones caught four passes for 39 yards and the score.
AJ Campana had three catches for 21 yards.
Jahmel Reeves (18 tackles), Jacob Neely (15) and Carter Shupper (12) had monster games on defense and accounted for 45 of Maranatha’s 87.
Beau Stubbs and Niko Vergara picked passes for the MHS defense.
In the last two years, Rand Holdren’s program has gone 20-3-1 and secured consecutive Cottonwood League championships, and a trip to the D-13 semifinals.
Game recap:
First Quarter:
Maranatha drove down the field and scored on our first drive with a TD pass to Camden (7-0). They recovered a fumble and got the ball back, but didn’t do much and had to punt the ball.
Second Quarter:
They drove down and scored, making it 7-7. MHS got the ball back, drove the field, which included a hook-and-ladder to Miles and then got stuffed on 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line. This is where the injury occured to Dejohn Jones, and a stoppage of play for an ambulance. They got the ball back and threw an INT on their own 35, giving Maranatha the ball with good field position. On third down in that series, Miles O’Malley went down for the remainder of the game, leaving MHS without a running back. MHS went for it on fourth down, and didn’t get it. They drove a bit and threw another interception to end the half at 7-7.
Third Quarter:
They got the ball starting the third quarter and called 13 straight runs to go down and score. (13-7). They also chewed up half of the third quarter. MHS drove down the field and threw an INT on the 20-yard line going in. Their drive went into the fourth quarter and the Minutemen forced them to punt.
Fourth Quarter:
MHS started with the ball on their own 10, but fumbled after a catch on second down and gave CSH the ball. They scored to take a 19-7 lead. And the Cardinals closed out the win with one more bootleg TD at the very end of the game for the 25-7 final.
Quotable:
Maranatha coach, Rand Holdren: “We’re tremendously proud of our football team and how they fought on Friday night. This was a brand new type of football game for our program and our kids never backed down. Through it, we were down quite a few soldiers, but no one stopped fighting. In the end, the playoff vibe was electric, Dejohn is home and on the mend, and this was a hard fought playoff game. Hats off to Coach Finklin and his team. The Maranatha football program grew tonight.”
Box Score:
MHS: 7-0-0-0-(7)
CSH: 7-0-6-12-(25)
Records: Maranatha (9-2); Cantwell Sacred Heart (9-2)
Division 11 Scores:
Quartz Hill 28, Gahr 7
Linfield Christian 46, Hillcrest 36
Ramona 70, San Gorgonio 13
Palmdale 40, Bellflower 32
Riverside Poly 27, Esperanza 12
Patriot 42, Los Altos 39
Cantwell Sacred Heart 25, Maranatha 7
Westminster 21, Schurr 10
Division 11 Schedule:
Linfield Christian at Quartz Hill
Palmdale at Ramona
Riverside Poly at Patriot
Cantwell Sacred Heart at Westminster
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