Sep 23, 2023 2 min read

CALIFORNIA — Monessen cut the deficit to three entering the fourth quarter, but California’s Jake Layhue came up with two interception returns for touchdowns in the Trojans’ 51-20 victory Friday night in Class A Tri-County South Conference play.

Layhue’s first pick-six was a 45-yarder at 10:31 of the fourth quarter. The second was 78 yards with 8:04 remaining and California (2-0, 4-1) extend its lead to 38-20.

Lee Qualk scored on a 52-yard run at 4:51 of the fourth and Landon Abercrombie closed the scoring on a 7-yard run with 2:32 remaining.

The Trojans’ Spencer Petrucci opened the scoring on a 19-yard run, and after Zack Geleti scored on a 28-yard touchdown run and Malachi Peake sacked the Greyhounds’ quarterback in the end zone for a safety, California extended its lead to 15-0 at 10:59 of the second period.

Layhue’s two-yard run pushed the home team’s advantage to 23-0 with 9:49 left before halftime.

Monessen (0-2, 1-4) showed its resiliency in scoring three straight touchdowns.

Rodney Johnson got his team on the scoreboard with a 5-yard run at 4:58 of the second and Teyvaughn Cershaw returned the second-half kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. Cershaw threw a two-point conversion pass to Lorenzo Gardner that cut the deficit to 23-14.

Gardner caught a 20-yard pass from Cershaw for a touchdown at 1:45 of the third quarter.