Canyon Trips on Faulty Kicks, 37-22

SANTA MARIA —  Senior Tony Drake scored two touchdowns, including one on an 85-yard kickoff return, to lead Righetti High to a 37-22 victory and spoil the debut of Canyon High Coach Larry Mohr Friday night.

Drake’s kickoff return reclaimed the lead for the Warriors after Canyon took its only lead of the game on Shaun Kelso’s one-yard touchdown and Ahjeron Palmer’s successful two-point conversion pass to Rick Engbrecht moments earlier.

“The kicking game hurt us a little,” Mohr said. “Not a little, a lot.

“The kicks are designed to be in the corner and they were in the middle (of the field) where we are outmanned.”

Righetti’s first score also was set up by a long kick return--61 yards by Robert Villa.

With Canyon trailing, 23-8, at halftime, Kelso scored on another one-yard run with 11:16 left in the fourth quarter to help cut Righetti’s lead to 23-14.

Ahjeron’s two-point conversion pass failed.

Kelso, a 5-foot-9 junior, rushed for 94 yards in 18 carries to lead all rushers.

Righetti, which had lost 12 in a row dating back to 1992, answered with Drake’s second touchdown.

Warrior quarterback Nathan Castillo connected with Drake on a 20-yard touchdown pass with eight minutes remaining. Drake, who is 6-3, outleaped two Canyon defenders in the end zone for the score.

“They obviously wanted it a lot more than we did,” said Mohr, who replaced the popular and controversial Harry Welch.

“They came up with the big play when they had to.”

Canyon’s final score came on Palmer’s 14-yard pass to Brian Connelly with 2:53 left.

Palmer completed 13 of 30 passes for 177 yards with one interception.