LA HABRA – For the second consecutive week, La Habra manhandled its opponent.
And for the second consecutive week, the Highlanders barely broke a sweat.
Senior quarterback Eric Barriere threw four touchdowns passes as La Habra cruised to a 49-0 nonleague victory over South Hills of West Covina on Friday evening at La Habra High.
Barriere, who threw four TD passes last week against El Toro, has thrown eight touchdown passes in the first two games this season.
“I love what the offensive line is doing,” Barriere said. ‘They are giving me lots of time to make my reads and we’re clicking.”
Friday’s win also marked the second season in a row that the Highlanders have shut out the Huskies (1-1).
The Highlanders (2-0) didn’t waste any time getting into gear as La Habra scored four first-quarter touchdowns to take a commanding 28-0 lead after 12 minutes of play.
On the third play from scrimmage, Barriere pinpointed a 68-yard TD pass to Eric Garcia to give La Habra a 7-0 lead.
Moments later, Barriere capped a five-play, 74-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard TD pass to Justin Sun.
Later in the quarter, and two plays after stopping the Huskies on a fourth-down play, C.J. Taylor broke a 34-yard touchdown run. And to top off an impressive first quarter, Madison Wheeler returned a punt 53 yards on the final play of the period for a TD giving La Habra a 28-0 lead.
The Highlanders continued their assault in the second quarter as Barriere added touchdown passes of 26 and 7 yards to Prince Ross and Sun as La Habra surged to a 42-0 halftime lead.
Ross and Amon Fellows combined to catch nine passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.
La Habra’s offense racked up 293 yards in the first half and looked virtually unstoppable.
“Our defense is awesome and I’m happy with our offense and our kicking game has improved,” La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta said. “We all know what’s coming (Mission Viejo and Los Alamitos are La Habra’s next two opponents) and we know we have to continue to improve each game.”
The Highlanders defense, led by linebackers Cam Rivas and Jake Colacion, has been dominant this season. La Habra held South Hills to 49 yards in the first half and has not allowed a point this season.
South Hills freshman quarterback Dylan O’Leary led the Huskies with 122 yards passing.
