Daily News football: The highs and lows from the Week 5 games
Taking a look at the highs and lows for the Daily News area teams and players in Week 5 of the football season.
THE HIGHS
Alemany earns its first win of the season: The Warriors beat Lawndale 34-27 on Friday, which had to be a huge moment for the program after it went 3-8 in 2022 and lost its first four games this season by an average of 35 points.
Those four losses were to stronger teams, including St. Bonaventure and Lincoln of San Diego, and Friday’s game looked like Alemany’s first real opportunity to get a win.
The Warriors did not let it get away, taking big risks and coming through in the clutch.
After Nigel Epperson scored on a 31-yard run to give Alemany the lead 34-27 in the fourth quarter, the Warriors went for the kill and called an onside kick. Darren Coleman recovered the onside kick at the Lawndale 43-yard-line with 2:48 left, and Alemany ran out the clock.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, Alemany went for it — and failed — on fourth-and-1 from its own 12.
Coach Casey Clausen seemed to be giving his team every chance to win the game, and that might be an important X factor for the Warriors as they start playing Mission League games this week. Alemany will be home Friday against struggling Bishop Amat (1-4) on Friday night.
Of course, taking risks is a lot easier with talented players on the field, and the Warriors showed Friday they have several weapons on offense. Quarterback Laird Finkel threw four touchdown passes, two of them to freshman Demare Dezeurn, and Alemany has a pair of talented running backs in Epperson and Paden White.
Kennedy defeats San Fernando in the Valley Mission League: The Cougars knocked off previously unbeaten San Fernando 17-14 on Friday, and now they’ve become a top contender in the league race.
It has been more than two decades since Kennedy has won a league title. With its defense playing like it did against San Fernando, that title drought might end this season.
“I’m really, really proud of them because you know we needed them tonight and they stepped up,” Kennedy coach Troy Cassidy said about his team’s defense after Friday’s win. “They play with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and it’s a lot of fun when they get themselves going … they won the game for us tonight.”
The next crucial challenge for Kennedy will probably be its game against Panorama (6-0, 2-0) on Oct. 19.
Wyatt Becker, Sierra Canyon: The 6-foot-1 junior set a school record with seven TD passes in a 63-6 win over Saguaro of Scottsdale, Ariz., on Friday.
The Trailblazers improved to 5-0, with wins over two Trinity League teams (JSerra, Orange Lutheran) and Oaks Christian, and are ranked No. 3 this week in the CIF Southern Section by CalPreps, behind Mater Dei and St. John Bosco, respectively.
Another one for Gilmer. This time a 24-yard TD grab. Becker has thrown 7 touchdown passes pic.twitter.com/q1LTe23MmS
— Dan Lovi (@LoviSports) September 23, 2023
Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park: The sophomore QB tossed six touchdown passes Friday night, giving him 29 halfway through the regular season, as the Panthers defeated Thousand Oaks, 54-42, in an important Canyon League game.
Valencia wins a (true) home game: The Vikings had a memorable Friday, as they defeated Castaic 48-14 in their first game of the season on their campus field.
Extensive renovations to the field and stadium were completed last week, just in time for the school’s Homecoming festivities.
“Tonight I could tell the kids were excited,” Valencia head coach Larry Muir said. “Everybody’s excited just to be here. Brand new field, we have a brand new scoreboard. … It’s great to be home and at the same time, you feel like you got a little bit of a face lift here, so it’s a special place.”
Valencia is 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Foothill League.
Oaks Christian defeats Loyola: The Lions completed nonleague play with a 3-2 record by defeating the Cubs 31-14 on Friday.
The highlights for Oaks Christian included senior quarterback Nate Bennett (Baylor commit) returning to action after missing three games with an injury. The Lions scored touchdowns on a 90-yard fumble recovery by Davon Benjamin and an 86-yard kickoff return by Deshonne Redeaux.
THE LOWS
Birmingham’s loss in Texas. The Patriots made their first out-of-state trip for a football game, traveling to Texas to take on Steele High of Cibolo, which is near San Antonio, on Friday night.
The three-time defending City Open Division champions lost 49-7. The score was 35-0 at halftime.
The team took nearly 50 players on the trip, and many of them had never been on airplane before heading to Texas last week.
The Patriots did get to enjoy a visit to an all-you-can-eat BBQ spot and attend a Texas State football game Saturday.
Golden Valley’s loss to Hart: The Grizzlies dropped to 0-2 in the Foothill League with a 42-9 loss to Hart, which had not beaten them since 2018.
Golden Valley has lost three in a row, putting a squeeze on its postseason hopes. And now it has to face Valencia this week.