COVINA — For the first 24 minutes and 41 seconds, Covina’s aspirations of becoming the sole Hacienda League champions dissipated with every bruising South Hills run play. The Colts’ potent run game and big-play pass game were rendered ineffective for most of the first half because of the Huskies’ methodical rush attack.
After being held to one touchdown for almost all of the first half, the Colts scored on four of their final five drives to secure a 40-35 win and at least a share of the Hacienda League title Friday night.
“The teams in the (Hacienda) League have been pretty tough and to get this win against a local team in our city felt good,” Covina quarterback Jake Duronslet said.
The Colts’ (8-1, 4-0) fifth straight victory required another 40-point output and some key plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter by Duronslet and company. After Covina held South Hills (4-5, 2-2) scoreless up until midway through the fourth quarter, the Colts gave up back-to-back touchdowns to bring the game within 34-28.
South Hills used a 15-yard touchdown by junior fullback Tyler Arguinzoni, who finished with 80 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and an Anthony Gonzalez one-yard run to spark the fourth-quarter rally. Gonzalez finished with 132 yards rushing and two touchdowns before Duronslet ripped off a 34-yard rushing touchdown with less than two minutes left to extinguish the Huskies’ hope of a comeback.
Before South Hills’ fourth-quarter scare, the Huskies’ first half worked almost to perfection as South Hills kept the Colts’ one-two punch of Duronslet and senior running back Kawme Parrish at bay with long, sustained drives. The Huskies ran the ball on 23 of their 25 first-half plays and running back Messiah Luter was the main beneficiary as he paced the Huskies with 117 yards in the first half. The Huskies ran for a total of 359 total yards before it was all said and done.
Covina head coach Joe Brown said he wasn’t surprised with how the Huskies game-planned Friday night.
“They shorten the game and they’re very good at running the ball,” Brown said. “They keep it close and they stick around. They’re a tough out in the fourth quarter in every game.”
After the Colts opened the scoring on their first series, the Huskies responded with a six-play, 67-yard touchdown drive. Gonzalez tied the game at 7 with a 1-yard touchdown run.
The Huskies took the lead on the following offensive drive and capitalized after the South Hills defense stopped the Colts on a third down inside the 15-yard line. Gonzalez’s 4-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left in the first half gave the Huskies a 14-7 lead.
South Hills’ lead was short-lived as the Colts outscored the Huskies 33-21 the rest of the way thanks in large part to Duronslet – who finished with two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and 227 yards of total offense – and Parrish, who added 120 yards and a touchdown.
“It was me just hitting the holes,” Parrish said of his second-half approach. “I can’t do this without my (offensive) line and they turned it up in the second half.”
The Colts will travel to Chino to take on the Cowboys (3-6, 3-1) for sole possession of the Hacienda League title.
