Big Football Night: Chatsworth and Sierra Canyon Both Win Easily

Eric Waters is a touchdown machine for Chatsworth High’s football team

The senior running back scored five more touchdowns Thursday in a 57-27 victory over visiting Santee – the third time in five games Waters has scored four touchdowns or more. Overall, Waters has 14 touchdowns – one of the most prolific scorers in California.

In the win over Santee, Waters rushed for 212 yards on 10 carries, and he also scored on a 43-yard reception, as defending City Section Division II finalist Chatsworth improved to 4-1 heading into the West Valley League opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Birmingham.

“I didn’t think Eric had been running hard enough, but this was a breakthrough game for him,” Chatsworth coach Andrew Kim said. “Last night, he was like a different player. This was a turnaround game. He is really playing to his potential. He went pretty hard, and he was finishing runs and breaking tackles. He did a great job for us. He did it all.”

Cory Francies completed 7 of 9 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns – Waters chipped in 117 yards receiving and finished with nearly 400 all-purpose yards – and Oscar Cruz scored on a 36-yard reception.

Now the real work begins. The West Valley League has no clear-cut favorite, so from this point every game is going to be crucial.

“Our league is so evenly matched,” Kim said. “I know a lot of people think it’s going to be Taft and El Camino Real who are going to be up there, but I don’t think there is a favorite. It’s an open field.”

Birmingham (3-2) has lost two in a row, but both defeats have been to top Southern Section teams, as the Patriots are coming off a 28-20 loss to Hart, preceded by a 34-12 loss to Notre Dame. In Birmingham’s prior matchups, the Patriots outscored three City opponents 150-16.

“Birmingham is going to give us a good challenge,” Kim said. “They’re a fast team, they can run and throw and pass, and they have a decent defense. We’re going to have a difficult time. We have to prepare for this game.”

EASY WIN FOR SIERRA CANYON

Sierra Canyon was so dominant Thursday in a 42-6 football win over visiting Kilpatrick that a running clock was used for the final three quarters after the Trailblazers scored five quick touchdowns, including Kieran Yancy’s 97-yard kick return to get things started.

Overall, Sierra Canyon (5-0) ran a total of just 19 plays, and the game took barely an hour to complete.

“It was a boring game, but we got through it. We ran more special teams plays than offensive plays,” Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse said. “We’re excited about the way the season started, and we’re still hungry to improve. We look forward to some big challenges down the road, and I can’t wait.”

The top-ranked small-school program in California, Sierra Canyon has outscored opponents by an average of nearly 42 points heading into a homecoming game Friday against visiting Marshall of Pasadena at Chatsworth High.