By Matthew Robinson
WOODLAND HILLS-Finally, after 364 days, the Canoga Park Hunters can say that they know what winning a football game feels like. Before the game clock read triple zeroes in the fourth quarter, the Hunters hadn’t won since their 37-0 beatdown of this same Reseda team (minus 11 seniors and a few sophomores and juniors) back on October 3, 2025. In the 2026 version of this series, the Hunters used their running game and some adequate play from their defense to knock off the Regents 14-12 at Taft High School.
With this win, the Hunters move their overall record to 1-6 and 1-2 in the Valley Mission League while the Regents drop to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Valley Mission League. This win was not only gratifying for the Hunters, but it also gives the green and white the satisfaction of beating a school that scheduled them for their Homecoming game. When an opposing school schedules another team for their Homecoming, it means that the home team feels that they’re going to beat their visitors handily in front of alumni, current students, etc. Of course, when this game was scheduled this past offseason, no one at Reseda knew that the Hunters would be 0-6 entering the contest; nevertheless, the gesture still was a little hurtful.
The Hunters won this game despite mustering only 143 yards total offense, but among those yards were two pivotal touchdowns scored in the first and fourth quarters, which ended up helping the visitors win this incredibly decisive game. Every yard the Hunters gained through the air and on the ground helped them win. There were no standout performances on offense in this game; it was a collective effort from four Hunter running backs, two quarterbacks, and the defense.
Hunters’ junior quarterback Mannuel Vasquez went seven of 15 for 73 yards in the passing game and he carried the ball 10 times for 14 yards and one score last night. His statistics against Reseda weren’t flashy, but his importance to his team goes well beyond statistics. The Hunters suited up 31 players last night and every single last one of those players looks up to Vasquez and he is quite aware of that.
“I got to keep my head up, you know,” Vasquez said. “I’m a role model to this team; they look up to me. If they see my head down, they’re going to put their head down. But I got to keep my head up so they can stay strong.”
Last night, Vasquez had one of his grittiest games of the season. Time after time, he sent his body into the teeth or middle of the Reseda defense, which included hard hits to the front and top of his helmet from linebackers and defensive linemen. Then there were those blows to his midsection and lower body from Regent defenders. Even when he ran to the outside portion of the defense, he still was bothered by Regent defenders with shoves out of bounds. Luckily for him, he had four running backs who took pressure off him in different parts of the game, and he was appreciative of that foursome’s service.
“They’re dawgs [football parlance for good football players] man,” Vasquez claimed. “They don’t stop until that whistle is blown; they keep moving their feet, they keep moving the ball and that [yardage marker] chain, they’re my dawgs.”
That core of Hunter running backs includes juniors Ryan Varillas (eight carries for 21 yards and one score), David Chanchavac (four carries for 23 yards), Lenny Santizo (three carries for 24 yards) and two successful PAT kicks, and senior Higinio Salgado, who didn’t carry the ball last night but was very helpful in the passing game with a team-leading three catches for 46 yards.
Varillas, who scored the eventual game-winning touchdown from 16 yards out early in the fourth quarter, was appreciative of the handoff he received from Vasquez on that scoring run as well as the blocking from his offensive line, which enabled him to get into the end zone at such a critical juncture in the game.
“I’m glad that I helped the team out with the winning touchdown,” Varillas said. “I give thanks to my [offensive] line or else the gap [that he ran through for the winning score] wouldn’t have been there; and to my quarterback too, Manny Vasquez, for the perfect handoff.”
Not to be outdone was the Hunters’ defense, which didn’t allow any points in the crucial fourth quarter. Moreover, the win was preserved because of some timely plays by Hunter defenders on the last play of the game, which included a quarterback hurry by junior defensive tackle Caleb Dominguez (one tackle) that forced the Reseda quarterback to throw a pass over the head of his intended receiver, who was facing solid coverage from junior cornerback Brince Alcantara (one tackle) and sophomore safety Jason Olmos.
The Hunters’ defense was led by junior strong safety/linebacker Julian Rocha, who was in on eight tackles, including one tackle for loss. Then there was junior defensive end Fernando Aguayo, who was consistent with his pass rush and with his proximity to Reseda ball carriers. Aguayo had a team-leading 9 tackles, which included four tackles for loss. With games like this, Aguayo and Rocha could be First Team All-Valley Mission League selections when those teams are released in December. Filling out the tackle chart were linebacker Isaiah Valenzuela (eight tackles, one tackle for loss), freshman defensive lineman Larry Argott (three tackles, one tackle for loss), senior defensive end Jacob Garcia (four tackles, two tackles for loss), Varillas (two tackles and one pass broken up), and cornerback and backup quarterback Salvador Valdez (one tackle, one interception).
Reseda suited up 27 players and was led by senior quarterback Melvin A. Moreno, who went 10 of 22 for 122 yards, two touchdown passes, and one interception; he also carried seven times for 27 yards on the night. Moreno tried his best to will the Regents to victory last night, but he didn’t get much help from his receivers or the running game. A lot was put on his shoulders last night, and going forward, his receivers and the running backs will have to step up if the Regents are to win another game. Their remaining schedule is brutal, as they will play three teams in Van Nuys (October 16th), Sylmar (October 23rd), and Kennedy (October 30th), who are all playoff-caliber teams and who have a combined 10-6 record going into their respective games tonight (Friday, October 2nd).
The Hunters opened the scoring when Valdez took the snap and then did some hiding behind his offensive linemen. By the time the Regent defenders were aware of who had the ball, Valdez was already in the end zone for a 12-yard score. Santizo’s extra point kick was successful, so the score moved to 7-0 with 9:16 left in the first quarter.
The Regents matched the Hunters on the scoreboard when Moreno completed a down-the-seam 19-yard pass to senior wide receiver Jafet Contreras. The subsequent two-point conversion run was no good, so the score was 7-6 with 8:48 left in the second quarter.
Then in the third quarter, the Regents went ahead for the first time in the contest when Moreno hooked up with Contreras again, this time for a six-yard connection in which Contreras caught the ball in the end zone amid double coverage from Rocha and another Hunter defender. The two-point conversion run was no good, but the Regents had a 12-7 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, Varillas took a Vasquez handoff and ran up the middle, finding a sizable pathway to the end zone from 16 yards out. That scoring run and Santizo’s second successful extra point kick put the final score at 14-12 with 9:29 left in the game.
On the last play of the game, the Hunters sent four people on the pass rush (defensive linemen), with the other seven members of their defense engaged in a deep zone prevent defense. And that defensive call worked as Moreno’s pass, intended for running back Demarye Potts, ended up falling harmlessly to the turf at the Hunters’ 38-yard line.
Next week, the Hunters will travel to Van Nuys High School for a Friday, October 9th, 7:00 PM meeting. Reseda will have a bye next week but will return to action on Friday, October 16th, for a road game against Van Nuys as well. The Regents and Wolves will kick off their game at 7:00 PM.
