By Brandon HENSLEY

Despite the blowout score, there was plenty of emotion on the field and on the sidelines Oct. 21 at Moyse Stadium. The Crescenta Valley High football team once again rocked its opponent, a 38-9 beat-down of Burroughs High, in another dominant display by the Falcons that sets up a Friday night showdown this week at Burroughs High between the Falcons and Burbank High, the two remaining undefeated teams in the Pacific League.

There were interceptions for touchdowns, key injuries and a fired up defensive unit by CV that stopped screaming and hollering only after Head Coach Paul Schilling’s postgame speech had ended.

The Falcon defense had a tough task at hand trying to contain Burroughs running back Chance Bell, who is on his way to San Diego State next season. Bell is a speed demon, and wound up with 190 yards rushing on 35 carries, but the Falcons kept him in check at the right times as Burroughs did not score a touchdown all night. Schilling thought Bell did not look like himself, but he couldn’t exactly say why.

“I hope he was a hundred percent; then I’ll really be proud of our guys,” Schilling said. “But it seemed like he was hurting a little bit.”

The Falcons improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in league. It was their sixth straight win and fourth victory where the defense has held the opposition to under 10 points.

Schilling was able to watch his son Grady intercept quarterback Hayden Zepeda’s pass in the second quarter and return it for a touchdown. On the play, Grady broke from his receiver who was streaking up the field and ran to cut off a short post route.

“That was crazy. That was really special,” Schilling said of watching his son make the play.

Unfortunately for CV, another play involving Zepeda near the end of the second quarter cost the Falcons. Zepeda left the game on a play in which he injured his knee, but moments after the whistle CV linebacker Brian Erickson came up screaming and spinning around, holding his right arm. Schilling rushed out to calm him down as Erickson’s teammates reacted tempestuously on the sideline once they saw him hurt.

Erickson was taken to trainer Junko Nakayama and she and an EMT treated him on a table. He was soon joined by his parents as his arm was put in a sling and diagnosed with a fracture in the lower forearm.

“It’s going to be tough,” Schilling said. “We’ll see. Once he calmed down, he was so emotional … we hope he’s okay.”

Erickson was averaging 8.3 tackles before the game, with 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

It is unclear how long he’ll be out, of particular concern considering the Falcons will make the CIF playoffs, and it’s anyone’s guess as to how deep into November they’ll be playing.

After Burbank on Friday, the regular season comes to an end Nov. 4 at Arcadia. The Apaches are 4-1 in league and in third place heading into their game this week with Glendale.

  Brandon Hensley