Mira Costa gridders advance to CIF-SS Division 6 semifinals
Senior Evanson Franck-Love rushed for 172 yards leading Mira Costa to an impressive 45-28 quarterfinal win at Canyon of Canyon Country on Saturday. File photo
Ranked No. 9 in CIF-Southern Section Division 6, Mira Costa’s football team defeated a higher-ranked team for the second straight week advancing to the semifinals on Friday.
Led by senior running back Evanson Franck-Love’s 172-yards, two touchdown performance, the Mustangs ran past the Cowboys of Canyon/Canyon Country 45-28 in an impressive road victory Saturday evening.
Mira Costa (6-6) will host its first playoff game of the season Friday at 7:30 p.m. when No. 4 Golden Valley (7-5) invades Waller Stadium. Top-seeded Bishop Diego plays at No. 6 Saugus in the other semifinal game.
After upsetting No. 3 Crescenta Valley in the first round, Mira Costa defeated No. 8 Canyon coming back from a 7-3 deficit at the end of the first quarter.
Mustang quarterback Nick Carpino threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Burga-Donovan then Jonah Tavai dove for 2-yard touchdown giving Mira Costa a 17-7 lead.
Canyon answered with 14 points before Mira Costa scored twice in just over one minute in the third quarter with a 40-yard pass to Jeremy Jackson from wide receiver Matt Harry on a flea flicker then Franck-Love scampered 48 yards for a touchdown putting the Mustangs ahead 31-21.
Mira Costa capped off its 21-point third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Tavai. Franck-Love’s 26-yard touchdown with 3:29 left in the game was the only scoring in the fourth quarter.
Tavai, who also had eight tackles on defense, finished with 21 yards on eight carries.
Mira Costa will face a Golden Valley team that is led by quarterback Zach Chevalier who has passed for 2,177 yards and 14 touchdowns but also has 16 interceptions this season. His favorite target is Jalin Lewis who has 52 receptions for 790 yards and five touchdowns.
Dj Turner leads the Grizzlies’ ground game averaging 5.5 yards per carry gaining 721 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games.
On defense, linebacker Derrese Morganfield leads the team with 102 tackles while 6-foot-5, 230-pound defensive end Cameron Ravenell has recorded 13 sacks and 21 tackles for loss.