Canyon Thwarts Antelope Valley on Late Score, 16-14 : Golden League: Cowboys pushed to the limit, but they rebound from loss to Quartz Hill.

A week after losing a Golden League game for only the second time in Coach Harry Welch’s nine-year tenure, Canyon High appeared destined for another setback late in a game Friday night at Antelope Valley.

But Canyon quarterback Kevin Bialas scored on a one-yard sneak with 1 minute 19 seconds remaining and the Cowboys survived a last-gasp Antelope drive to win, 16-14.

Bialas’ plunge capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that consumed almost five minutes.

Antelope Valley’s Eugene Dreher, however, blocked Matt George’s point-after attempt--Dreher’s seventh block of the season--to keep alive Antelope Valley’s upset hopes.

With no timeouts remaining, Antelope Valley (1-6, 0-1) returned the ensuing kickoff to its 36-yard line.

Quarterback Jacob Munksdaard completed passes of 11 and eight yards to Rodney Flakes and Freddy Edwards to move the ball to the Cowboy 45.

With 34 seconds remaining, Munksdaard scrambled for 11 yards and Chelsa Blanks plunged ahead for four to the Canyon 30. Antelope Valley’s field-goal team rushed onto the field, but time expired before kicker Peter Holt could attempt a 47-yard kick.

With Antelope Valley trailing, 10-7, Edwards picked off a Bialas pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown to put the Antelopes ahead, 14-10, with 10:32 remaining.

On Canyon’s next series, Edwards recovered a fumble at the Antelope Valley 41 with slightly more than seven minutes to play. But Canyon (6-1, 1-1 in league play) forced a punt less than a minute later and began the decisive drive.

Bialas completed 11 of 23 passes for 105 yards and tailback Mike Torres rushed for 124 yards in 14 carries before leaving the game early in the fourth because of an injured knee.

With tailback David McDivitt sidelined because of a deep thigh bruise and backup Mike Santos also out because of an injury, Canyon relied on Jason Brenner and Scott Blade to pick up the slack.

Blade and Brenner carried on seven of the 11 plays during the winning drive.

“If anybody wants to give an orthopedic surgeon good business, he should become a Canyon running back,” said Welch, whose team lost to Quartz Hill last week. “We had absolutely nobody left. We were down to the water boys.”

Canyon took a 7-0 lead 1:02 into the game when Torres raced into the end zone from 19 yards.

Edwards, who accounted for 104 of Antelope Valley’s 160 rushing yards, blasted up the middle on a 50-yard run to tie the score, 7-7, with 6:59 left in the half.

George kicked a 26-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the half to put Canyon ahead, 10-7.