La Habra Escapes With 10-6 Win

Johnny Macon’s final pass--a fourth-down throw into the end zone with 47 seconds left--fell incomplete, preserving La Habra’s 10-6 victory over Downey.

Macon had come off the Viking bench and moved Downey to within eight yards of victory on a fourth and two at the Highlanders’ eight-yard line. But his pass sailed over the end zone out of bounds.

With 4 minutes 17 seconds left, Downey trailed, 10-0, but linebacker Steve Kroener stripped the ball from La Habra running back Jason Johnson and ran 40 yards to the Downey 28-yard line. Three plays later, Macon scrambled and hit Jerry Phillips in the end zone to cut the lead to 10-6 with 2:34 left. Jahi Arnold missed the extra point.

Downey recovered Arnold’s on-side kick and seven plays later, Downey was on the eight-yard line. Macon, who only played the second half, completed nine of 13 passes for 77 yards, 72 coming during the final four minutes.

Mike Miller’s 91-yard kickoff return to open the second half set up running back Johnson’s six-yard touchdown run, which gave the Highlanders a 10-0 lead. Johnson, the Southern Section’s leading rusher, entered the game with 744 rushing yards. He managed 82 yards in 19 carries to lead La Habra.