VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : Notre Dame’s Defense Halts Sylmar, 28-0 : Intersectional: Knights go on 21-point third quarter tear and stingy defense keeps Spartans trapped in their own end of the field.

SYLMAR —  Call it Notre Dame High’s Domesday Defense.

In what could be the first of many shutouts this season, the Knights turned loose Travis Johnson & Co. on Friday night and came away with a 28-0 victory over host Sylmar.

Johnson, Notre Dame’s 6-foot-4, 270-pound All-American defensive lineman, forced two fumbles, recorded two sacks and deflected a pass--all during Notre Dame’s 21-0 third-quarter domination. He blocked a punt earlier and left Coach Jeff Engilman of Sylmar in awe.

“That’s probably the best ballplayer I’ve seen in a long time,” Engilman said. “That’s a college player playing high school.”

Sylmar hung tough early on, trailing 7-0 at halftime. But in the third quarter, the Spartans fell apart.

Quarterback Jonathon Brewster connected with Alec Moss on a 48-yard touchdown pass on Notre Dame’s opening second-half possession.

Running back David Contreras of Sylmar then lost the ball on a fumble. Trevin Lund soon scored on a three-yard run for a 21-0 lead.

Linebacker Chris Shibel of Notre Dame intercepted a John Valdez pass and returned it 38 yards to the Sylmar five-yard line. Lund scored again, his third touchdown of the night, with 3:55 left in the third quarter.

Sylmar never got closer than the Notre Dame 48 until the final minute of the game.

Everyone knew Notre Dame, ranked No. 1 by The Times, would have a good defense. Seven starters return from last season’s 10-2 team.

But it’s not only Johnson who makes the Knights tough to score on. The Knights’ four linebackers, led by Moss and Mike Barron, repeatedly hustle to the ball. And the secondary is so deep that Knight coaches have 10 players to choose from.

“I think we’re the best, but we have a lot of work to do,” Johnson said.

Lund, a teenage daredevil known for his snowboarding, displayed powerful running skills, gaining 81 yards in 15 carries.

But the Knights’ offense struggled at times. Brewster completed four of 11 passes for 83 yards.

The Knights also were called for three holding penalties and did not execute their option plays well.

In the second half, though, Notre Dame gave a peek of how well it’s capable of playing.

Despite the defeat, Sylmar unveiled a promising junior quarterback in Valdez, who played eight-man football at L.A. Lutheran last season. He showed elusiveness and lots of potential.

Valdez completed 11 of 19 passes for 85 yards with two interceptions.

“He’s a tough kid,” Johnson said of Valdez, “but I was there to welcome him to 11-man football.”

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MORE COVERAGE

Page 15

* Field Report

* Scoreboard

* Top 10 Fared

* Top Performers

* City Section Roundup

Page 16

* Valencia’s Manuel White ran over and through Highland, gaining 222 yards in 28 carries as the Vikings beat Highland 27-13. Valencia’s Zack Sapp left the game after apparently seriously injuring his leg. Southern Section Roundup

* David Parker of Saugus tossed four touchdowns and ran for another as the Centurions downed Royal in a nonleague game. Ventura County Roundup

Page 17

* Game Summaries