COVINA — The Northview football team’s quest for a second consecutive undefeated Valle Vista League title came up short with a 21-20 loss to Alta Loma on Friday night.
Northview (7-2 overall, 3-1 VVL) will fight for a three-way tie for first place next week in its regular-season finale against West Covina.
“We’re just still trying to fight and get better. We have a great performance one week and then we shoot ourselves in the foot next week,” Northview coach Marcel Perez said. “… We’ll get ready to go in the morning, watching some film and we’ll get ready for next week.”
Alta Loma (7-2, 3-1) held Northview to one of its worst offensive games of the season, limiting the Vikings to a season-low 20 points. Northview rushed for only 121 yards and passed for 94.
“We didn’t come out the way we should’ve came out with,” Perez said. “Too many penalties, too many mistakes on our part. Alta Loma did a great job and they were ready to go.”
The Vikings were penalized eight times, six of them coming before halftime.
Northview two-way star Isaiah Lucero was knocked out of the game with an apparent injury with less than two minutes left in the game.
His status moving forward is unknown.
Northview’s offense had a quick three-and-out on its opening possession of the game.
Alta Loma then churned out an 11-play, 8-minute drive that ended with quarterback Maximus Fierro’s 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 3:06 left in the first quarter.
The Vikings put their ugly start behind them and needed just two plays to respond, getting a 51-yard touchdown run from Jaishon Bledsoe. A missed extra-point attempt kept them from tying the score.
Lucero came up with the first of his two interceptions to set up Northview inside Alta Loma territory to begin the second quarter.
Capitalizing on the prime field position, Vikings running back Dominic Munoz zigged and zagged his way for a 28-yard touchdown run for a 14-7 lead.
Fierro tied the score with another short touchdown run, scoring from 1 yard out with 2:04 left in the first half.
Lucero came down with his second interception on the first play of the third quarter, but the Vikings turned the ball over themselves a few plays later.
Alta Loma caught Northview’s defense off-guard with a trick play, as wide receiver Bryant Avila connected with Owen Fiorenza for a 64-yard touchdown pass to open a 21-14 lead with 3:32 left in the third.
Lucero scored on a 66-yard catch-and-run – his 13th touchdown catch of the season – but Northview still trailed 21-20 following another missed extra-point attempt.
Northview forced a third interception when Bledsoe picked off Fierro with 4:45 left in the game.
However, the Lions’ defense came up with two big stops inside the final four minutes to secure the upset win.
“Super proud of our group. We’re young. … I can’t be more proud of our guys,” Alta Loma coach Tyler Perri said. “We’re tough man.”
Alta Loma closes the regular season at San Dimas next week.
