LANCASTER — The Lancaster football team thoroughly dominated its Golden League game against Littlerock on Friday night.
The Eagles scored on all nine of their drives and their defense had its first shutout of the season in a 54-0 victory at Lancaster High School.
Lancaster (5-2, 4-0 GL) remains undefeated and alone in first place, as the Eagles try to defend their first league title. Littlerock (3-4, 2-2) entered the game in a three-way tie for second place in what is already its best season in years.
“That was good. Exactly what we wanted,” Lancaster coach Jermaine Lewis said. “We wanted to go out there and execute and clean up some things that we do offensively and defensively. Get back to the fundamentals of what we are.
“Littlerock is a tough team. Coach Henderson, very impressed with what he’s got those boys over there doing.”
Lancaster scored on all six of its drives in the first half to take a 38-0 lead, forcing a running clock in the second half as the Eagles rested its starters.
“It feels good against a nice opponent,” Lancaster senior running back Arthur Turner said. “We came in today knowing what we had to do to get on to the next team.
“This means one step closer to the Golden League title again and getting ready for some tough opponents and then the playoffs.”
The Lancaster offense finished with 572 total yards and seven different players scored.
“I think we played great,” Lancaster senior quarterback Michael Marsenich said. “I think what sets our offense apart is we’re so balanced. We can run and throw on any down.
“Scoring on the first drive is always so big. With this offense, we talk about if we get one first down, we’re going to score. We just ride that momentum all the way.”
Lancaster dominated from the first play from scrimmage.
Turner scored on an 80-yard run from the first play from scrimmage, but the touchdown was called back by a holding penalty.
Instead, Turner scored on a 10-yard run to cap a 16-play, 80-yard drive that lasted six minutes and 11 seconds.
The Eagles then recovered a fumble, by Lancaster junior Ethen Hutcherson, on the ensuing kickoff, giving the Lancaster offense a short field.
“It feels amazing,” Turner said. “We practice those types of kicks so we can get that momentum rolling, so we can continue for the rest of the game.”
Lancaster senior Jacob Walker scored on a 3-yard run to give the Eagles a quick 14-0 lead with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter before the Lobos had run their first play.
Marsenich completed 11-of-16 passes in the first half for 210 yards and three touchdowns.
“It just means we’re one percent better,” Marsenich said. “We try to get better every day at practice, every game. I think we have been improving every week. I’m just pleased with how we played. We’re trying to get better every game on the way to State.”
Lancaster senior Chase Beoranje caught four passes for 102 yards and TD passes of 38 and 28 yards, while senior Jayson Wilson caught four passes for 85 yards and a 29-yard touchdown.
Turner rushed for 156 yards on 14 carries in the first half with touchdown runs of 10 and 70 yards.
The Lancaster defense held Littlerock to 18 total yards in the first half and no first downs.
Littlerock did not attempt a pass in the first half, as senior quarterback Geovanni Nunez rolled out one time to pass, but ran with the ball instead.
Meanwhile, the Lancaster offense had 441 total yards in the first half and 11 first downs.
The Littlerock offense finished with 44 total yards in the game and was held to one first down, midway through the third quarter.
The Lobos did not attempt a pass.
Littlerock senior Kenneth Olson rushed for 31 yards on 11 carries.
Lancaster senior backup quarterback Dylan Marchant played in the second half and completed 3-of-5 passes for 90 yards and a 67-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Milton Brown, who made a highlight catch, making a leaping grab around a Littlerock defender in the third quarter.
Lancaster senior kicker Johnny Velasquez kicked a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and was one of six different players to carry the ball for the Eagles in the second half.
Marchant scored on a 2-yard run with 2:12 remaining, in what proved to be the final play of the game.
Lancaster sophomore Keanu Sosa recovered the ball on a kickoff to give the Eagles the ball for the final drive.
“We’re just trying to get better every week,” Lewis said. “We’re unfinished in where we want to be. We’re not playing our best football right now, but we’re playing real good football.
“The coordinators are putting together a great game plan, coach Hinton offensively and coach Sean defensively.”
Lancaster will play at Knight High next week, the Eagles’ first road game in a few weeks.
Littlerock will host Palmdale next week.
Littlerock has already surpassed last season’s win total.
The Lobos finished 1-9 overall and 0-7 in league last season, their third consecutive year with the identical record.
Lancaster defeated Littlerock 41-6 last season.
Littlerock last had three wins in a season in 2013, when the Lobos went 3-7 and 1-6, and last had two wins in league in 2011, when they finished 3-7 and 2-5 and sixth in the Golden League.
Littlerock finished 4-6 in 2009 and 6-5 and fifth in league (3-4) in 2008.