HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Arcadia Stops Crescenta Valley

Crescenta Valley High’s football season ended Thursday night at Glendale High where Arcadia posted a 16-7 victory to claim the Pacific League’s third playoff berth and eliminate the Falcons.

Having lost both of its quarterbacks at mid-season because of disciplinary reasons, Crescenta Valley (5-5, 1-4 in league play) played out the season with an old-fashioned, run-oriented single-wing offense and junior Paul Lopez taking most of the snaps.

Against Arcadia, Lopez rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown in nine carries. David Rodgers, who rushed for minus-seven yards in six carries, and tight end Andy Settle, who caught a six-yard pass in the fourth quarter, were the only other players to handle the football for the Falcons.

Lopez, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior, completed only one of 12 passes, none through 3 1/2 quarters.

“It’s disappointing,” Lopez said. “We’ve shocked every team we’ve played with our offense, but we’ve always been able to mix it up with the pass.”

Arcadia (6-3-1, 2-2-1) ran successfully. Fullback Dean Giakas rushed for a game-high 97 yards in 17 carries and tailback Al Hamichart added 93 yards in 23 carries.

Arcadia scored on its first two drives to take a 10-0 first-quarter lead.

Steve Chiovare kicked a 29-yard field goal to cap the game’s opening drive and quarterback J.D. Fox hit tight end Grady Rohn with a nine-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds left in the quarter.

Crescenta Valley closed to 10-7 midway through the second quarter when Lopez fielded a long snap on a bounce, then charged up the middle untouched for a 37-yard touchdown.

Chiovare added field goals of 22 and 37 yards in the second half.