La Serna defenders pressure Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
WHITTIER — Nicholaus Iamaleava was more efficient than in his seven-touchdown performance in last week’s opener, and Warren’s defense took care of everything else in a stunning 52-7 romp Thursday night over longtime CIF Southern Section powerhouse La Serna.
Iamaleava completed 22 of 27 passes for 204 yards and five touchdowns, three of the tallies in a 26-point third quarter that doubled the visiting Bears’ advantage and gave them 105 points over two games against quality programs.
Warren’s Jordan Anderson (0) runs in for a touchdown as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna quarterback Jake Long (6) is sacked by Warren’s Maleek Riley (55) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren’s Jordan Anderson (0) celebrates his touchdown with Jaidyn Houston (17) as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna defensive end Chase Bernal (36) sacks Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna receiver Jake George (7) is tackled by Warren defenders in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) makes a pass as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna running back Owen Long (1) is stopped by Warren’s Daniel Cassidy (14) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren running back Romeo Clark (27) runs past La Serna defenders in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren’s Marcus Higgs (2) scores a touchdown as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna’s Nick Meza (2) is taken down by Warren defenders in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) is pushed through for a touchdown against La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna students cheer as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna running back Owen Long (1) runs in the open as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna’s Owen Long (1) is stopped short of the goal line by Warren defenders in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna’s Sean Rooney (16) and Nick Meza (2) stop Warren receiver Jordan Anderson (0) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna quarterback CJ Ceron makes a pass as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna students cheer as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) makes a pass as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren head coach Kevin Pearson in their non-league football game against La Serna at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna tuba player play during halftime as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna defenders pressure Warren quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava (8) in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna quarterback CJ Ceron (8) hands off to Owen Long (1) as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna’s Adrian Castro (44) prepares to run on the field as they play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna players charge on the field to play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
La Serna head coach Andy George as they prepare to play Warren in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren assistant coach Stacey Ford fires up the defense as they play La Serna in their non-league football game at Thorstenson Stadium in Whittier on Thursday August 26,2021. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Warren (2-0), which dropped two one-sided decisions to La Serna two years ago, forced four turnovers — three of them leading to third-quarter touchdowns — and limited the Lancers (0-2) to minus-41 yards on the ground. Much of the negative yardage came from three sacks (two by Maleek Riley) and a bad snap, which accounted for two of the giveaways.
“I was very surprised. It’s shocking …,” Bears head coach Kevin Pearson said following the victory at California High. “It’s crazy (against a program} like La Serna, which is so good year in and year out. I think a lot of younger guys took it personally, when they beat us as bad as they did in ’19. Good teams rise to the occasion, and we did tonight.”
Jordan Anderson (seven receptions for 52 yards) and Sahfee Yasin-Spann (three for 43) each caught two of Iamaleava’s TD passes, and Juan Wilson had the other one. The longest covered just 8 yards.
Warren built a quick 12-0 lead in the first quarter, marching 65 yards on eight plays in just 88 seconds, with Marcus Higgs running the final 10, then going 93 yards, capped by Iamaleava’s 6-yard scoring toss to Anderson.
A goal-line stand to start the second quarter, with Owen Long gang-tackled on fourth down from the 1, kept La Serna from drawing closer. Two touchdowns in the final two minutes of the half — Juan Wilson’s 7-yard reception and Daniel Cassidy’s 74-yard interception return — made it 26-0.
Then Warren used short fields — taking over on the Lancers’ 24, 29, 7 and 8 — to pour it on in the third quarter. Iamaleava’s 1-yard burst on fourth down was followed by another TD pass to Anderson, then Iamaleava found Yasin-Spann after Amari Shepherd came up with the ball off a snap over Jake Long’s head and E.J. Smith returned an interception 22 yards.
Long and fellow quarterback C.J. Ceron combined for 131 yards passing. Long found Jake George in the end zone for an 18-yard score during the running-clock fourth quarter.
“(Warren) was firing on all cylinders,” said La Serna coach Andy George, who has lost just five of his last 37 games and guided La Serna to the Division 6 final two years ago. “That’s a humbling defeat, but it’s not going to define who we are as a football team.”
