Edgar Melik-Stepanyan
MOYSE FIELD -- Gaining yardage and moving the chains is essential in
winning a football game. The Glendale High football team wasn't able to
do either or much of anything else Friday night at Moyse Field against
Alhambra High in a nonleague contest.
The Nitros lost, 40-6, in the opening game of the 2000 football
season.
The stories of the game were the Moors' defense and the Nitros'
inability to move the ball. Alhambra held Glendale to only 15 total yards
on offense and two first downs.
Glendale didn't have a first down or a positive yard in the second
half. The Nitros compiled -8 offensive yards.
"I made a lot of mistakes. We got a lot of work to do. We took a
beating and I didn't do a good job as coach," said first-year Glendale
Coach Loi Phan.
The matchup wasn't as bad in the first half for the Nitros. They held
the Moors scoreless in the second quarter and scored a touchdown to cut
the Alhambra lead to 14-6.
Quarterback Armen Dembekjian connected with wide receiver Kevin
Hickcox on an eight-yard strike. Dembekjian was two for eight with 13
passing yards.
Chris Grempel and Matt Meraz took over for the Moors in the third
quarter. Meraz scored two touchdowns to help Alhambra score 19 unanswered
points. Grempel, who had already scored in the first quarter, added
another touchdown in the fourth with a 29-yard run.
The two combined for four touchdowns and 131 yards rushing.
Mando Ruvalcuva, Alhambra's senior starting quarterback, broke his
finger last week and had to miss Friday's game. However, Dominick
Breazeale was a more-than-adequate substitue. The sophomore seemed
comfortable and poised, completing eight of 13 passes for 105 yards and a
touchdown.
"Our strategy is to run 50% and pass 50% of the time. Mando did very
well for us. Our offensive line did a good job blocking for him and the
runners," Alhambra Coach Gil Ruedaflores said.
Glendale running back Dustin Nersesyan rushed for 22 yards in five
carries.
