The Mustangs shook off a shaky start to breeze past the Hunters 40-15 in early action Friday afternoon. Senior quarterback Jesse Rios led the way for Arleta with four total touchdowns in the victory. Canoga Park Junior quarterback Manuel Vasquez provided the scoring punch for the Hunters with two rushing touchdowns.

You could tell both teams were feeling the nerves in the early going, as both teams had to overcome near disasters. Arleta had an opportunity to forge ahead early, but fumbled the ball inside the Canoga Park five-yard line. Vazquez got the Hunters in a rhythm after the slow start, leading the team down the field before punching it in to open the scoring. Rios exuded the leadership his team needed, mounting an immediate response to Canoga’s scoring drive with one of his own to tie the game at 7-7.

The first big turning point of the afternoon came on the ensuing kickoff, when Arleta recovered a fumble and began their next drive deep in Canoga Park territory. Arleta showed poise, converting a fourth-and-goal from nine yards out to grab a lead they would never relinquish for the rest of the game.  

Midway through the second quarter, you could feel the elements and the physical nature of the game beginning to take their toll on both teams, in particular the Hunters. It became a difficult chore for Canoga Park to keep Arleta’s front four out of the backfield, which disrupted their offensive rhythm. Defensively, Canoga struggled to keep Arleta from going downhill, which kept the defense on the field for extended periods in the heat.

The Mustangs’ offense came out in the third quarter and put together a drive that lasted nearly seven minutes and was punctuated by a Mendez – Perez touchdown scamper that extended Arleta’s advantage to 27-7, on their way to putting up forty points in the season-opening victory. The Hunters did show grit and toughness, adding another touchdown before the end of the game to cut into the deficit.

The Mustangs hit the road for the first time next week, taking a trip to face the Bernstein. The Dragons took down Hawkins 56-14 in Week Zero.  The Hunters continue their road warrior early-season schedule, heading to Hollywood looking for their first win against the 0-1 Sheiks.