Photos by Gwen Pointer & stats/scoring plays from Zack Morton
Football:
It would be difficult to determine which of these two scenarios was less likely to happen when Glendora met South Hills on Thursday night at Covina District Field.
Was it the fact that GHS trailed 41-14 in the fourth quarter of their regular-season finale and still found a way to rally for a 48-47 victory in overtime?
Or was it the young man who played the role of hero?
For those that don’t follow GHS football, Jake Denerson had been the starting quarterback since 2020.
A few weeks ago, though, Eric Najarro took over the QB duties and seemed to give the Tartans offense a spark.
On Thursday night, and with the chance of securing the Citrus 4 League’s No. 2 seed, Denerson would replace Najarro in the fourth quarter, but GHS found itself in a 27-point hole.
Denerson would hit Robert Solis on a 34-yard TD and Glendora trailed 41-20 with 11:04 to play.
Denerson hooked up with Charlie Bell on a 20-yard score, and with 3:34 remaining, South Hills led 41-27.
Exactly 30 seconds later, Decker DeGraaf caught a 6-yard scoring strike, and GHS was just a TD from tying the game.
After recovering an onside kick, and with 59 seconds to play, Denerson sprinted into the end zone from 7 yards out and the Tartans caught the Huskies at 41-41.
In the first overtime period, Zach Ford gave Glendora its first lead of the game by scoring on a 4-yard TD run.
South Hills answered back, as Sebastian Morinaga scored on an 8-yard run.
It was Morinaga’s third TD of the night.
The Huskies decided to go for two points and the win.
But Gary San Angelo, who has played a starring role in South Hills turning their program around, was stopped short of the goal line by Anthony Fiorenza, Kyle Ferm and Decker DeGraaf to secure a 48-47 victory.
San Angelo had a 20-yard TD run and a 50-yard TD catch from Ceasar Lizaola.
Lizzaola also scored a pair of rushing TD’s for the Huskies.
Denerson went 13-of-19 for 248 yards and three TD’s in just 12 minutes and one drive in OT.
He also carried the ball three times for 26 yards and one score.
Solis had a huge night with four catches for 113 yards and two TD’s.
DeGraaf caught three passes for 41 yards and one TD.
Kyle Ferm rushed for 25 yards on eight carries and one score, and had five catches for 88 yards.
Ford carried the ball eight times for 42 yards and a TD.
Bell caught four passes for 51 yards and one score.
On a side note, South Hills coach Jacob Calderon has done one of the best jobs in 2022, and he has the program headed towards better days.
To view a photo gallery by Gwen Pointer, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook
Box Score:
GHS: 7-7-0-27-7-(48)
SH: 14-13-14-0-6-(47)
Scoring:
SH: Gary San Angelo 20 run (Ceasar Lizaola kick)
SH: Sebastian Morinaga 10 run (Ceasar Lizaola kick)
G: Kyle Ferm 4 run (Jack Norell kick)
SH: Gary San Angelo 50 pass from Ceasar Lizaola (kick failed)
SH: Sebastian Morinaga 11 run (Ceasar Lizaola kick)
G: Robert Solis 4 pass from Eric Najarro (Jack Norell kick)
SH: Ceasar Lizaola 1 run (Nicolas Garcia kick)
SH: Ceasar Lizaola 1 run (Nicolas Garcia kick)
G: Robert Solis 34 pass from Jake Denerson (kick failed)
G: Charlie Bell 20 pass from Jake Denerson (Jack Norell kick)
G: Decker DeGraaf 6 pass from Jake Denerson (Jack Norell kick)
G: Jake Denerson 7 run (Jack Norell kick)
G: Zach Ford 4 run (Jack Norell kick)
SH: Sebastian Morinaga 8 run (run failed)
Thursday’s Citrus 4 League Scores:
Colony 35, Los Osos 12
Glendora 48, South Hills 37
Citrus 4 League Standings:
Colony (8-2 overall, 3-0 in league)
Glendora (4-6, 2-1)
Los Osos (3-7, 1-2)
South Hills (3-7, 0-3)
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