HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 8 : Second Half Key to 25-3 Victory for Saugus

CANYON COUNTRY —  Be it intensity or confidence, Canyon High’s football team left something in the locker room during halftime of its 25-3 loss to Saugus at Canyon on Friday night.

The Cowboys led, 3-0, at intermission, then got throttled in the second half of the Foothill League game.

Saugus came out with a balanced attack in the second half and scored 19 points in the fourth quarter behind senior quarterback Kevin Carrasco, who threw two touchdown passes and scored on a five-yard run.

Canyon’s four second-half drives ended with two interceptions, a fumble and a fake punt that didn’t work. On the other hand, the Saugus offense, which totaled 317 yards, scored on all four of its second-half possessions.

Carrasco’s run made it 6-3 Saugus midway through the third quarter. Fullback Mark Pecaro keyed the 14-play, 72-yard march by rushing eight times for 52 yards. He finished with 69 yards in 12 carries.

Saugus (5-3, 3-0 in league play) made it 12-3 three plays into the fourth quarter when Carrasco hit Anthony Smith on a slant for a 37-yard touchdown. Smith beat Canyon’s best defensive back, Eddie Pugh, on the play.

Then, after a Kevin Giberson interception, Carrasco threw a bomb on first down to Gregg Johnson, the play covering 53 yards and making the score 18-3.

“We looked to go up top and it was there,” Carrasco said. “We were up, 12-3, but we knew it wasn’t enough.”

A fumble by Rick Thomas led to Saugus’ final touchdown, a 14-yard run by Lyn Wilde. The Centurions finished with 167 yards rushing and 150 passing.

Carrasco completed six of 14 passes. Johnson caught three for 95 yards. Canyon finished with 123 yards after compiling 89 in the first half.

Shaun Kelso had 43 yards in 13 carries and Ahjeron Palmer had 45 in 11 for the Cowboys (4-4, 1-2), who lost any hope for a league co-championship.

Canyon’s struggling passing game produced two completions in nine passes for 19 yards and two interceptions.

“They just came out and whipped us in the second half,” Canyon Coach Larry Mohr said.