Van Nuys Wins With Touchdown on Last Play, 36-30

Van Nuys High running back Bill Calhoun scored on a one-yard touchdown as time expired Wednesday night to lift the Wolves to a dramatic, 36-30 victory over Locke in a City Section 4-A Division quarterfinal at Huntington Park High.

Calhoun took the handoff from quarterback John Peterson with about four seconds to play and leaped high over the middle of the defense for his third one-yard touchdown run of the game.

“That’s it, baby, yeah, we did it,” said an elated Calhoun, who led the Wolves with 74 yards in 16 carries. “We knew the play would work because my other two touchdowns also came on blasts straight up the middle.

“This is it. We’re going to the semis.”

Van Nuys (8-4) will play Carson in the semifinals.

Locke, which upset defending 4-A champion Dorsey, 62-37, in the first round, finished 7-4-1.

Peterson played an excellent game, completing 11 of 23 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He quickly directed the Wolves to a score on the game’s final possession after Van Nuys took over on the Saints’ 40-yard line after a fumble by quarterback Akili Robertson with 1 1/2 minutes left.

On the first play of the drive, Peterson threw a 34-yard pass to wide receiver Jeff Hwang that gave Van Nuys a first and goal on the Locke six.

Peterson gained three yards on the next play. Calhoun followed with a two-yard gain, was stopped short of the goal line on third down and scored on fourth down.

Hwang also played well, making seven receptions for a game-high 170 yards and two touchdowns. Sparked by its defense, Van Nuys led, 15-14, at halftime.

The Wolves intercepted three passes by Robertson in the first two quarters, including his first two attempts.

Van Nuys opened the scoring after its second interception on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Peterson to Hwang with 4:33 remaining in the opening quarter.

Robertson and receiver Brian Clark teamed on a 62-yard touchdown pass on a screen play on the ensuing possession. A two-point conversion run by Robbie Brown gave the Saints an 8-7 lead. After another Locke score, Van Nuys came back late in the first half on Calhoun’s one-yard run. Taj Tucker’s two-point conversion run gave the Wolves a one-point lead at intermission.