PASADENA – After starting the season 0-2, Muir football has found its stride winning their third straight game and improving to 2-0 in Pacific League play after a 53-0 victory of Crescenta Valley Friday night.
Alijah Parker nearly single-handedly carried the Mustangs (3-2, 2-0) in their win over the Falcons (2-3, 1-1) with a four-touchdown performance, two running and two receiving.
Before halftime, Parker had all four of his touchdowns, one on the last play of the half where he ran the ball for 81 yards putting the Mustangs up 42-0.
“I feel great. I need to do it more often. Be more consistent and just keep going every game,” said Parker.
Parker’s first touchdown came from a screen pass from quarterback Keyon Mills that went 55 yards to the end zone. He finished the night with 116 yards receiving and 106 rushing.
Mills was perfect Friday night going six for six with four touchdown passes, three of them for over 50 yards. His first touchdown of the night came from a 13-yard pass to running back Noah Bozeman. Bozeman put the Mustangs in position to score in the first half after getting them near the red zone with a 39-yard run.
His first rushing touchdown came after a Crescenta Valley fumble on their 25-yard line. On the next play, Parker ran straight up the middle for 25 yards to give the Mustangs a 35-0 lead. On the last play before halftime, Parker had a perfectly open hole that led to him running 81 yards to give the Mustangs a lead of 42-0 before halftime.
Throughout most of the season, Muir has run the ball efficiently with running back Zion McDonald. In his last game, McDonald ran for over 250 yards.
With just three carries in the game, McDonald’s most impressive run came in the third quarter for 75 yards to make the score 50-0.
With the Mustangs still having five more games left until the season ends, it looked like they might’ve found a dynamic duo between Parker and McDonald.
“I love it. Honestly I try to block for him every chance. I try to just uplift him and he does the same for me.” Said Parker. “It’s a good dynamic duo.”
“We got some special guys back there and what’s neat about it is they are complementary and they do it for each other and you gotta watch them block for each other,” Said Muir coach Lance Mitchell. “Those two guys get after it when they don’t have the ball. So that’s what I’m really excited about.”
Crescenta Valley came into Friday night’s game eight of their eleven starters, including runningbacks Lonidas Grant and Phoenix Vengco. The Falcons were having to rely on lone running back Stefano Kim and wide receiver Julian Savery in the backfield.
“We are severely undermanned tonight, it will be a tough task. Several guys out and or sick” Said Crescenta Valley coach Hudson Gossard
Savery took the majority of the snaps at running back as Kim was sidelined for most of the game due to injury.
While Savery was looking to make the most of his running back debut, he had 13 carries for 80 yards. His largest rush of the night came on his fourth carry for 28 yards.
Throughout the night, the Falcons struggled to get anything going offensively, converting just two first downs. After Bozeman had a 68-yard receiving touchdown for the Mustangs, the Falcons opened the next drive on their own 25-yard line. On the first play of that drive, quarterback Dominic Saris fumbled the ball on a muffed snap, ending in a Mustangs recovery.
On the next offensive play for the Mustangs, their offensive line paved a perfect hole for Parker to run through. With a sea of green ahead of him, Parker was able to run it in for 25 yards to give them a lead of 35-0.
“Very well coached and by far the most physical team we will face in league.” Said Goddard prior to Friday night’s loss.
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