Eisenhower Coasts Past Canyon, 38-6

The No. 1 high school football team in America, according to USA Today and the Associated Press, wasted little time showing that it was the No. 1 team at Canyon Country Canyon High Friday night, too.

The top-ranked Eisenhower Eagles easily disposed of Canyon, 38-6, in a Southern Section Division I quarterfinal playoff game. Eisenhower (12-0) will face Long Beach Wilson, a 24-12 winner over Antelope Valley, in a semifinal game next week.

Canyon finished with a 6-6 record.

“I’ve never seen a high school team like them,” Canyon Coach Harry Welch said on a windy and cold evening. “They’re sensational.”

Eisenhower senior Omar Love, in particular, proved sensational. Love intercepted three Canyon passes and rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown in 13 carries.

He was only part of an Eisenhower offense that ran past a severely overmatched Canyon defense. Marcus Soward scored two touchdowns and gained 74 yards in six carries, and Marlon Farlow added a touchdown and 46 yards in six carries.

“I thought we played pretty well,” Eisenhower Coach Tom Hoak said. “We’ve convinced our team that, at this point, it doesn’t matter who you play if you want to win this national championship. We’ve been practicing better, and we’ve been playing better.

“We’re hitting a peak right now.”

The game was never close, and Canyon scored its only touchdown with six minutes left on a one-yard run by sophomore Ed Williams. The Cowboys’ only bright spot was the play of Williams, who gained 178 yards in 25 carries. Williams finished his sophomore year with 1,557 yards, a Canyon single-season rushing record.

Canyon actually outgained Eisenhower in the first half, 167 yards to 166, but trailed in score, 23-0.

The Eagles so clearly dominated Canyon that on two of their three point-after-touchdown tries, high snaps were turned into two-point conversions when Canyon was unable to chase down Eagle ballcarriers.