The Glendale High School varsity football team encountered a setback in its historic start to the regular season on Sept. 21, losing a nonleague game to visiting Glenn High of Norwalk 46-6. Despite the loss, the varsity squad achieved significant milestones just beyond the halfway point of the season.
The last time the Nitros opened the season with a 5-0 record was in 1992, and the five wins this year already match the combined total between 2019 and 2022. If the Nitros win one more game, it would mark their first winning season since 2008.
“I don’t think [the players] have grasped how long that is. Some of them are barely 14 or 15 years old so some of them weren’t even born the last time Glendale had a winning season,” first-year head coach Manuel Lemus said. “One of the goals they wanted was to have at least a .500 record, and we couldn’t win last week but we still have four games to secure a winning record.”
Senior quarterback Jonathan Wells completed 14 passes for 100 yards with a touchdown and rushed for 24 yards on seven carries against Glenn.
Senior Alex Idolor carried the ball 16 times for 64 yards, while sophomore Gevork Papazyan rushed for 25 yards on five carries. Senior Alfred Intriago had six carries for 14 yards and made four tackles on defense.
Senior Austin Aldrete was a key target in the passing game, making five receptions for 88 yards. He also added six tackles and an interception on defense. Sophomore Rudy Cuellar had three receptions for 6 yards and recorded seven tackles on defense, while senior Jason Martinez made a 6-yard catch.
Junior Mark Dacles racked up nine tackles and 0.5 sacks, while senior Luis Rodriguez tallied seven tackles. Sophomore Alexander Shirvanian produced six tackles, sophomore Brady Aldrete finished with five tackles and one sack, and senior Alejandro Maravilla registered three tackles. Seniors Moises Zermeno and Freddie Rios Barrientos each chipped in two tackles, while senior Damien Gurka, senior Carlos Hinojosa, senior Cesar Manzano, senior Arthur Nim-Anong and sophomore Sean Blute each had one tackle.
“Even though we lost, we showed a lot of fight,” Lemus said. “Many other teams would have laid down but we continued to fight in that game regardless of what the situation was.”
The Nitros visited Bassett High in La Puente on Sept. 29; the nonleague game ended after the Glendale News-Press’ deadline and will be included in next week’s issue.
The Nitros will visit Rowland High in Rowland Heights for a nonleague game on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. before hosting Grace High of Simi Valley on Oct. 13.
First published in the September 30 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
