SANTEESANTEE — There is a different attitude on the Valhalla sideline this year. An air of confidence. Dare we say, a swagger.
The Norsemen had lost 18 consecutive games until last week and now are enjoying a two-game winning streak to start the 2019 season.
Behind 203 rushing yards and three touchdowns by Kegan Baker, Valhalla rallied to defeat host West Hills 24-14 on Friday night.
“We had a rough time the past two years,” said Baker, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound senior. “But we’re building now. We have a great senior class now. This is fun.”
Baker tallied 265 yards and five TDs in a 34-20 win over University City last week.
“This senior class didn’t win a game the last two years,” Valhalla coach Mike Kastan said. “They have an attitude now. It doesn’t matter what the score is, they believe we’re going to come back.”
West Hills (1-1) had a 14-7 lead at halftime, but Valhalla’s Laith Adnan recovered a fumble on the second-half kickoff that led to a 26-yard field goal by Anthony Hernandez, who was playing his first varsity game.
Late in the third quarter, Baker burst off a 54-yard run that led to his second TD run and Valhalla’s first lead at 17-14.
After Bashar Nooh recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, the Norsemen drove 65 yards in nine plays, with Baker getting his eighth score of the year on a 1-yard plunge.
“Our margin of error is pretty thin,” West Hills coach Casey Ash said. “We made a couple of mistakes there that cost us.”
West Hills’ Jake Maheu rushed 19 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
West Hills took advantage of a negative-yardage punt and great field position to score on its first possession. Maheu capped a 42-yard drive with a 3-yard TD.
Minutes later, West Hills’ Kip Klingerman intercepted a at the 29-yard line, but the Wolf Pack were unable to capitalize.
In the second quarter, Valhalla marched 77 yards in 11 plays to tie the game on a nifty 16-yard run by Baker.
Just before halftime, Steven Cristini recovered a fumbled punt at the 31-yard line to set up a 2-yard TD plunge by Maheu to give the Pack a 14-7 lead.
It was all Valhalla in the second half, thanks to Baker and a rejuvenated team that believes it can win.
VALHALLA 24, WEST HILLS 14
Valhalla 0 7 10 7 – 24
West Hills 7 7 0 0 – 14
WH – Jake Maheu 3 run (Luke Bethune kick)
V – Kegan Baker 16 run (Anthony Hernandez kick)
WH – Jake Maheu 2 run (Luke Bethune kick)
V – FG Anthony Hermandez 26
V – Kegan Baker 2 run (Anthony Hernandez kick)
V – Kegan Baker 1 run (Anthony Hernandez kick)
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
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