Valley Christian comes back to beat Vikings

Pushing and shoving between Cerritos Valley Christian and Blair causes the refs to call the game with 1 mintue remaining on the clock during their CIF-SS playoff game in Cerritos. Jeff Gritchen/Long Beach Press-Telegram

By Donald Morrison Correspondent

CERRITOS — After leading 24-13 in the second quarter and 24-20 at halftime, Blair High School was held scoreless in the second half and fell to host Valley Christian, 34-24, in a CIF-Southern Section Mid Valley Division quarterfinal Friday night.
The Vikings, who had five unsportsmanlike conduct penalties called against them in the second half, couldn’t stop Crusaders running back Alex Lopez.
Lopez had 154 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in the first half and finished with 232 and the two scores on 30 carries.
The Vikings were held to just 28 rushing and passing yards each and turned the ball over twice in the second half.
Lopez scored the game’s first touchdown on a 2-yard run to finish off a four-play, 70-yard drive.
The Crusaders (7-5) attempted a fake field goal on their next possession, but holder Kyle Cameron’s pass was incomplete.
Blair (9-2) capitalized on the good field position when Reinaldo Reyes scored on a 6-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter to tie the game.
Following an interception from Devin Fuller, the Vikings scored again on a field goal from Raymond Garcia to put them up 10-7.
It was the first of Fuller’s two interceptions in the half. He took his second one back for a 27-yard touchdown, which put Blair ahead 17-7 in the second quarter. It led 24-20 at halftime.
Running back Raheem Broadnex led the Vikings with 73 yards on 17 carries and Fuller had 13 rushes for 64 yards.
Quarterback Kishon Sanders was 9-for-19 for 133 and a touchdown, a 39-yard pass to Phillip Desmuke with 1:48 left in the second quarter to put Blair ahead 24-13.