Tardy sets state mark for TDs in easy win

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan

It was a picturesque moment for St. Paul, and an unforgettable one

for the Crescenta Valley High football team.

As Swordsmen running back Dwight Tardy sprinted down the left

sideline en route to a 46-yard touchdown run, he ran right past

Falcon Coach Alan Eberhart, and all the CV coach could do was close

his eyes and turn his head.

Tardy was unstoppable in Friday night’s CIF Southern Section

Division III first-round game, setting a state record with nine

rushing touchdowns and 316 yards in 18 carries to lead St. Paul to a

77-35 victory at St. Paul High.

Previously, 16 high school players nationally had rushed for eight

touchdowns in one game, the most recent being Austin Jones in 2003

from Orrick High in Missouri.

The only players from California that had achieved that feat were

Dave Johnson from Cantwell Sacred-Heart in 1969, David Dotson from

Valley View in 1991 and Jonas Lewis from Beaumont in 1994.

The national record for rushing scores in a single contest is 12,

set in 1930 by Ken Pearson from Hugo High in Colorado. John Zisner

(Peoria High from Illinois in 1920) and Leonard Butler (Morris High

from Illinois in 1969) are behind Pearson with 10 touchdowns each.

But Tardy -- who scored his ninth touchdown with 3:37 left in the

fourth quarter against CV’s second string -- wasn’t the only

Swordsmen to set a record Friday.

St. Paul Coach Marijon Ancich won his 339th career game, setting a

record for most wins by a high school coach in the state. He broke

the record that was held by Herb Meyer, who retired from Oceanside El

Camino Real High last year.

“He’s a sensational back,” said Ancich of the 5-foot-11, 205-pound

senior tailback, who also had 101 yards on kickoff returns. “That was

fantastic by Dwight. It was an incredible night.”

CV (5-6) was actually in the game early on, trailing, 35-28, at

halftime. But St. Paul (8-3) put the game out of reach when it scored

14 points in a span of 12 seconds to take a 49-28 lead.

The second of the scores was Tardy’s 46-yard run.

CV quarterback Phillip Salazar ended his high school career with

five touchdowns, including three on the ground. He passed for 340

yards and rushed for 54.

Gabe Balderrama caught 10 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.