Canyon football (2-2) was nearly shut out at home to the visiting Royal Highlanders (3-1) on Friday.
The Cowboy defense would keep it close for most of the game until two late touchdowns helped Royal pull away, 23-3.
The Canyon offense struggled to spark in the rain and gave up five turnovers.
Royal got its scoring started thanks to one of these turnovers. A bad snap on an early Cowboys’ punt led to a safety for the Highlanders.
Just before the halftime break, Canyon quarterback Diego Ulijich would leave the game with an injury, affecting the offense and defensive line.
Canyon’s defense still kept them close until midway through the third, when the Highlanders scored their second touchdown to take a 16-3 lead.
The Cowboys now slip to 2-2 after their hot start. While the team has steadily improved, so have their opponents as the season goes on.
Canyon will have its biggest test yet on the road against West Ranch (4-0). The Wildcats are the hottest team in the Foothill League entering week five with an average of over 50 points a game.
The Cowboys take on the Wildcats at Valencia Friday at 7 p.m.
