Taft Loses Hurns to Knee Injury in Victory

Taft High quarterback Nick DiPadova passed for a school-record six touchdowns in less than three quarters to lead the Toreadors over Cleveland, 56-14, in a Northwest Valley Conference game Friday night at Taft.

Toreador running back Sedric Hurns suffered a severe knee injury on his only carry, a 27-yard gain in the first quarter. Early indications were the injury is torn ligaments, which would end his football season and imperil his track season.

Hurns entered the game with 592 yards rushing, fifth among the Valley’s City Section runners.

Taft (6-0, 3-0 in the conference) took a 6-0 lead, but Cleveland came back with a touchdown and extra point to go ahead, 7-6, marking the first time this season Taft trailed.

Taft scored 50 unanswered points, including a 98-yard touchdown run by Larry Jones in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland (1-5, 0-3) scored a concession touchdown with five seconds remaining.

The teams failed to shake hands after the game, after Cleveland accused Taft of running up the score.

In other Northwest Valley Conference games:

Kennedy 35, Chatsworth 20--JaretHarris rushed for 178 yards and four touchdowns in 17 carries to lead the Golden Cougars (4-2, 3-0) at Kennedy. Harris scored on runs of six, two, 13 and one yard.

Kennedy quarterback Calvin Zinck completed 11 of 19 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown. He had two passes intercepted by LaRon Buckner.

Chatsworth quarterback Travis Winn completed 20 of 34 for 174 yards and two touchdowns, with four interceptions. Waking Bailey, Kennedy’s All-City safety, and Tommy Gales each had two interceptions.

Chatsworth is 3-3, 1-2.