DOWNEY - The Warren High School football team hosted the 2-0 Norwalk Lancers last Friday night at Justice Stadium and suffered their second loss of the season 48-13.Warren kicked off to Norwalk to start the game. The Lancers scored first on a 31 yard run at the 8:00 mark of the first quarter. The extra point was good and Norwalk led 7-0. Warren struggled to move the ball on their ensuing possession and punted the ball back to Norwalk. The Lancers scored again at the 4:00 mark of the first quarter. The extra point was good and the Lancers were ahead 14-0. The Lancers appeared to go up 20-0 when a Warren pass was intercepted at the Bear 47 yard line and returned for a touchdown. The Bears caught a break when a defensive holding penalty was called and the touchdown was nullified. The first quarter ended with Warren down 14-0. Norwalk struck first in the second quarter on a 27 yard run at the 9:51 mark. The extra point was good and Norwalk led 21-0. Warren returned the ensuing kickoff to the 38 yard line. The return appeared to spark the Warren offense because the Bears had a 40 yard touchdown run that followed. The extra point was good and the Bears were down 21-7 at the 8:02 mark of the second quarter. The Bears and Lancers exchanged the ball and field position for several minutes until Norwalk scored a touchdown on a 74 yard run at the 2:04 mark. The extra point was no good and Norwalk was ahead 27-7 at halftime. The third quarter started with Norwalk kicking off to Warren. Warren had a huge play to start the third quarter on an 80 yard run by Darwin Walker. Bear quarterback Mike Vega then completed an eleven yard touchdown pass to Michael SanAngelo at the 9:52 mark. The extra point was no good but Warren closed Norwalk's lead to 27-13. As Warren closed the gap, the Bears recovered a Norwalk fumble on the 37 yard line at the 9:42 mark. Things looked up for the Bears. The Bears could not take advantage of the fumble, however, and the ball went back to Norwalk. The Lancers scored a touchdown on a 45 yard run at the 2:43 mark of the third quarter. The extra point was good and Norwalk led 34-13 as the third quarter came to a close. The Bears started the fourth quarter with the ball on the Norwalk 43 yard line. The Bears could not keep the chains moving and were forced to give the ball back to Norwalk. The Lancers wasted little time and scored on a 61 yard pass play at the 11:26 mark. The extra point was good and Norwalk now led 41-13. Warren and Norwalk exchanged the ball and field position for most of the fourth quarter. The Bears appeared to catch a break when Clay Mitchell recovered a fumble at the Norwalk 15 yard line at the 9:02 mark. The Bears struggled to move the ball and attempted a 35 yard field goal. The kick was no good because the ball hit the crossbar and bounced back. Norwalk took possession and added a late touchdown. The extra point was good and the Lancers came away with a 48-13 win. Warren will play an 0-2 Rosemead team at Rosemead on Friday.

********** Published: September 13, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 22