Cleveland High football runs over Harvard-Westlake

RESEDA — When Cleveland High running back Cameron Green saw fellow back Isaac Delgado score his third touchdown, he knew he had to match him.

“I was just like, bro, I gotta get in there,” Green said. “I gotta score. … We weren’t even worried about the other team. It was just competition [between us].”

Score he did. Green had two second-half touchdowns, three total, as Cleveland ran all over Harvard-Westlake, 41-21. The Cavaliers ran for 452 yards to win longtime assistant Mario Guzman’s head coaching debut.

Postgame, Guzman described the win as “surreal.” As the offensive and defensive line coach, he was proudest of his linemen.

“If I work hard for them, [they’re going to] work hard for me, too,” Guzman said. “I’m super proud of the front five.”

The teams combined for touchdowns on their first four possessions, with two Delgado touchdowns on the ground countered by passing touchdowns from sophomore Harvard-Westlake quarterback Aaryan Mehdi Williams.

Even early in the second quarter, Harvard-Westlake (0-1) head coach Aaron Huerta sensed how important each possession was. Huerta called for an onside kick, which his team recovered. Two minutes and yet another Williams touchdown pass later, the Wolverines had both the lead and all the momentum.

It was all Cleveland from there.

The Cavaliers (1-0) responded with a seven-play, 86-yard drive, tying the score on a 24-yard run by Green. The Wolverines got the ball past midfield, aided by facemask and encroachment penalties, when the Cavaliers found their first defensive highlight of the young season.

Heavy pressure caused Williams to throw directly to Cleveland senior defensive tackle Matthew Mondragon, which Mondragon easily grabbed. The senior big man rumbled into Wolverines territory before being finally dragged down.

“I thought he was going to score!” Guzman said. “… It’s a lineman’s dream come true.”

A 32-yard run on the next play from Delgado, his third touchdown of the day, gave Cleveland the lead for good. Delgado, a junior running back, transferred from Granada Hills before last season, but missed much of the year with injuries.

“I’ve just been waiting for this moment, that’s it,” Delgado said. “I’ve seen at Granada, Dijon Stanley, he’s good. I’ve always wanted to be like that explosive player. Hopefully I can get that chance.”

Green clinched the contest with two second-half touchdowns, extending the lead to 20.

Williams completed just one second-half drive before leaving with a leg injury. The Wolverines, besides one leaping 30-yard back shoulder catch by sophomore receiver Ellis Robinson, could not find any offense without him.

“[We’ve got to] get these guys back that were injured,” Huerta said. “We’ll see how our quarterback is, that’s gonna be the big question. If he can bounce back and then we can get our other four or five guys healthy, I think we’re a different team.”

Cleveland faces West Ranch (0-1) at home next Thursday at 7 p.m. The Wolverines also play on Thursday, playing at Venice (0-1) at 7 p.m.

“They better watch out for Cleveland,” Green said. “They better put some respect on Cleveland.”