Westminster Rules the City by Trouncing La Quinta, 42-0

WESTMINSTER — Westminster regained the Mayor’s Trophy and reclaimed the city football championship with a 42-0 thumping of La Quinta Thursday night in the traditional opener for both teams.

The Lions scored four touchdowns in a six-minute span of the first half. Senior quarterback Jerry Allison opened the scoring with 2 minutes 18 seconds left in the first quarter, running in from 13 yards for a 7-0 Lion lead.

Aztec fumbles set up the next two scores, a 36-yard touchdown pass from Allison to tight end Finau Tafua and a 16-yard run by senior Leonard Ibarra. On the next Aztec series, Ibarra picked off a C.J. Livernois pass and ran it back 41 yards for another score and a 28-0 lead with 8:05 left in the first half.

Allison and Ibarra led the attack for the host Lions. Allison completed nine of his first 10 passes, finishing with 131 yards and two touchdowns. Ibarra scored three touchdowns, adding a 27-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He rushed for a game-high 52 yards.

He got a lot of help on defense, as Westminster forced a total of six turnovers and held the Aztecs to minus-38 yards rushing, thanks to seven sacks.

La Quinta seriously threatened only twice in the game. The Aztecs got down to the Westminster 9 in the closing minutes of the first half before being foiled by a Todd Mann interception.

In the second half, a bad punt snap by Westminster gave La Quinta a first down at the Lion 11. A procedure penalty and two sacks caused the Aztecs to turn the ball over on downs.