The following was written by Grossmont JV football player Michael Byerline:
The Grossmont Foothillers battled the Valhalla Norsemen Friday night at Jack Mashin Stadium, only to end with a result that hasn't been felt by them this year – a loss. Valhalla came out on top, as QB Romano Ramsey led them to a 39-28 victory over the previously-undefeated Foothillers.
The game had a sloppy start. Valhalla got the ball first in the first quarter but was unable to do anything with it and was forced to punt. Same story with Grossmont as they turned the ball over on downs on the Norsemen 17-yd line. Immediately after, Grossmont's Marcus Flisher got an interception, leading to a 2-yd TD pass to #9 JT Barnes giving the Foothillers the lead.
See also: More game photos from Linda Byerline
Vahalla's Brown Nehemiah stepped up on the next possession, with a 93-yd TD run but the PAT was blocked by Ryan Green.
A fumble recovered by Giuseppe Castanos gave Valhalla the ball back after the kickoff but were stopped and forced to punt. Grossmont quarterback Anthony Lawrence got sacked twice on the same drive and they forced to punt before the quarter ended.
After a 20-yd catch for the Norsemen's Mills Kevin, Ramsey found John Todd with a 10-yd TD strike, giving the Norsemen the lead.
The second quarter belonged to Foothillers' running back Marlon Lampart, who ran all over the Norsemen with over 95 yards in the second quarter alone, including a 20-yd catch-and-run, a 1-yd TD run, a 9-yd TD run, a 35-yd return, and a 20-yd run.
But QB Ramsey connected with Howard Benjamin for a 43-yd catch and to Macias Bryan for a 13-yd TD catch for Valhalla making the score 21-19 Grossmont as the half.
In the third quarter, Grossmont received the ball on their own 20 and drove all the ay down the field to have #24 Josh Anderson carry the whole defensive line into the end zone for a Grossmont TD. Valhalla's John Todd countered with a 60-yd receiving touchdown but the PAT is missed again, making the score 28-25, Grossmont.
But sadly for the Foothillers, it would be their last score of the game.
Miles Steed intercepted Lawrence deep in Grossmont territory on the 14-yd line. The next play, Ramsey connected with Benjamin for a 14-yd TD pass, giving the Norsemen the lead again.
On Grossmont's next drive, Lawrence got sacked and fumbled, resulting in a Benjamin's got two long receptions in a row, including a 50-yd pickup setting
up a 3-yd TD pass to Brown Nehemiah. Nehemia also got the game-sealing
interception, giving the Norsemen the win and sending coach Tom Karlo and the Foothillers back to the drawing board.
