Friday Final: Montebello beats Schurr, 14-7; Whittier Christian bounces back; Santa Fe gets big win over El Rancho

Montebello Oiler Brandon Gonzalez escapes the tackle of Schurr's Noah Rangel in an Almont League prep football game between crosstown rivals Schurr and Montebello high schools on October 14, 2016 at Schurr High School. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime. (Correspondent photo by Chris Burt)

Montebello Oiler Brandon Gonzalez escapes the tackle of Schurr’s Noah Rangel in an Almont League prep football game between crosstown rivals Schurr and Montebello high schools on October 14, 2016 at Schurr High School. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime. (Correspondent photo by Chris Burt)


FEATURED GAMES
MONTEBELLO 14, SCHURR 7

MONTEBELLO — The start was shaky, but the finish was spot on for the Montebello High School football team.
Despite falling in an early hole that could have been worse than it was, the visiting Oilers rode their defense to a 14-7 win over crosstown rival Schurr on Friday in a key Almont League game for both teams.
Montebello improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in league. The win puts the Oilers in good position to repeat as league champs, but that likely won’t be determined for certain until they play Bell Gardens in Week 10. Schurr fell to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league.
Opponents only get so many opportunities against Montebello’s stingy defense, which entered Friday’s game allowing just 7.8 points per game. Schurr looked like it would have more success than most after it raced to a 7-0 lead on its first drive thanks to a 10-yard touchdown run by Noah Rangel.
The Spartans appeared set to add to the lead after getting to the Montebello 2-yard line later in the first half, but a fumble ended the drive with no points.
Montebello quickly seized momentum by driving 99 yards to tie the score, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Gabriel Tapia.
The score was tied 7-7 at halftime, but the Oilers wasted little time after the break, taking their first lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Tapia. From there, it as about riding the defense that has thrived so much this season.
Schurr quarterback Miguel Aguero was under constant duress and couldn’t get anything going due to the Oilers’ pressure. Montebello looked like it was going to be able to run out the clock with just under two minutes to play, but a fumble gave Schurr one more chance.
But as the Spartans approached midfield, Aguero lost the football while scrambling and Chris Rodriguez was able to pounce on it to secure the win for the Oilers.
— Aram Tolegian
WHITTIER CHRISTIAN 47, MARANATHA 14
WHITTIER — After two big losses in a row, the Whittier Christian High School Heralds turned the tables and cruised to a 47-14 victory over visiting Maranatha High School Friday night at Whittier College in an Olympic League game.
Heralds junior quarterback Quinn Commans threw five touchdown passes, three of which were over 67 yards, to even Whittier Christian’s league record at 1-1 and its overall record 5-3.
The five touchdowns by Commans brought his season total to 38.
Maranatha, which has been decimated with injuries this season, fell to 2-4-1 overall and 0-2 in league.
Commans threw for 356 yards, completing 9 of 17 passes. Junior wide receiver Cade McGee caught three touchdowns and senior tight end Nico Albertini had two for the Heralds. One of Albertini’s touchdowns was a 40-yard interception return.
McGee’s three TDs were 13, 78 and 84 yards to give him 17 this season.
Whittier Christian coach Sergio Gradilla: “It was a good win and we’ve worked so hard defensively this past week. Tonight it was a step in the right direction.”
— John Sherrard
ROUNDUP
SANTA FE 30, EL RANCHO 27

Fernando Buenabad kicked a 24-yard field goal with four seconds to play to give Santa Fe High School a 30-27 Del Rio League football victory over El Rancho on Friday night at Pioneer High.
The Chiefs (3-4, 2-0) got the ball with 2:32 to play at their own 18-yard line. Quarterback Chris Ramsey converted a key 20-yard pass to Javier Valdivia on third-and-11 from midfield to keep the drive alive.
El Rancho (2-5, 1-1) trailed 20-7 in the first half and rallied to take a 27-20 lead, helped by the play of wide receiver Gabriel Huerta, who returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD and caught six passes for 171 yards, including scores of 35 and 54 yards.
The Chiefs tied the score at 27 with 7:21 to play when quarterback Jaquari Levett scored on a 2-yard run.
— Angel Gutierrez
LA HABRA 56, SONORA 0
The Highlanders built a 50-0 halftime lead and cruised to their 47th consecutive Freeway League victory in a matchup of the two public La Habra schools.
La Habra improved to 4-3 overall and 2-0 in league play. The Raiders, who have not beaten La Habra since 2001, dropped to 0-7 overall and 0-1 in league.
— Staff reports
LA MIRADA 48, BELLFLOWER 0
The Matadores won their 16th consecutive Suburban League game with their third shutout in their last four games. La Mirada (6-2, 4-0) had shut out Cerritos and Norwalk in league games. The host Buccaneers fell to 1-6, 1-2.
— Staff report
OTHER SCORES
Almont League

Bell Gardens 41, Keppel 0
Del Rio League
La Serna 49, Whittier 13
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Angelus League

St. Paul at Harvard-Westlake, 7 p.m.
Nonleague
Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary vs. St. Genevieve at L.A. Poly, 7 p.m.
HOW THE TOP TEN FARED
1. La Mirada (6-2) def. Bellflower, 48-0
2. La Habra (4-3) def. Sonora, 56-0
3. La Serna (4-3) def. No. 8 Whittier, 49-13
4. Montebello (6-1) def. No. 5 Schurr, 14-7
5. Schurr (4-3) lost to No. 4 Montebello, 14-7
6. St. Paul (2-4) at Harvard-Westlake, Saturday, 7 p.m.
7. Santa Fe (3-4) def. No. 10 El Rancho, 30-27
8. Whittier (3-4) lost to No. 3 La Serna, 49-13
9. Whittier Christian (5-3) def. Maranatha, 47-14
10. El Rancho (2-5) lost to No. 7 Santa Fe, 30-27

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