Quarterback Nick Moore led Hart back from a 16-point first-quarter deficit to defeat Canyon 28-22 at College of the Canyons on Friday.
Moore had four rushing touchdowns for Hart (5-2, 1-1), which picked up its third straight win against Canyon. Running back Henry Arellano scored two rushing touchdowns for the Cowboys (4-3, 0-2).
Canyon got off to a fast start with 16 points in the first quarter, but Hart came roaring back to cut the deficit to 16-13 at halftime.
PHOTOS: Hart hosts Canyon at COC
Arellano scored first with a 5-yard touchdown run with 6:10 to play in the first quarter. A minute later, Riely Ward sacked Hart quarterback Nick Moore in the end zone for a safety.
Late in the first quarter, Canyon quarterback Miles Fallin hit Camden Apsay on a 25-yard touchdown pass.
The second quarter belonged to Hart, with Moore scoring twice on the ground – from 2 and 3 yards out. Canyon tried to mount a scoring drive to end the half, but Nick Soto picked off Fallin inside the Cowboys’ 5-yard line with 16 seconds remaining.
“We just had to calm down, and we talked about the kids just executing,” Hart head coach Mike Herrington said. “We were not taking what they were giving us. They were giving us right up the middle, and we weren’t doing that early. And late in the first half or early in the second half, we started doing that.”
Canyon extended its lead in the third quarter when Arellano scored a 6-yard touchdown with 3:41 to play in the third quarter. But Hart answered in under a minute with Moore breaking open a long run and then scoring from 5 yards to pull within two points at 22-20.
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Hart came up with two big interceptions in the second half to help secure the win. The first set up a short field and the go-ahead score. With 8:59 to play, Moore ran it in from 3 yards and completed the two-point conversion as Hart set the final score at 28-22. It’s only lead of the game.
Canyon had one final shot with three minutes to play, but the Indians’ defense held firm.
