PASADENA — Momentum is building for the La Salle football program thanks to the firepower of quarterback Jakari Bacot, running back Denzel Carter and a slew of talented receivers. They led a potent Lancer offense to nearly 500 total yards in a convincing 39-12 win over Arcadia in nonleague play on Friday night.
Carter rushed for 134 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bacot completed 14 of 25 passes for 214 yards. He threw two touchdowns and rushed for one.
Receiver Ananth Narayanan caught three passes for 93 yards and one touchdown. Jalen Remis caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
“It was a big win coming off of last week (a 27-19 loss to San Marino),” said Bacot. “Bouncing back, it was great.”
“I think the team really came together this week after last week’s disappointment,” said Remis. “But I think we came out here and really showed we’re the real deal.”
La Salle (2-1) wasted no time in doing that. The Lancers jumped out to a 6-0 lead on their opening possession of the first quarter when Bacot found Narayanan open on the left side of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-15.
La Salle made it 13-0 early in the second when Bacot kept the ball for a 5-yard touchdown run. Carter made it 20-6 with a minute to go before halftime with a 4-yard touchdown run.
La Salle broke the game open in the third quarter with an impressive 13-play, 79-yard drive that ate up almost seven minutes. It ended with a daring call to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the Arcadia 20.
Bacot threw to a streaking Remis down the right side. The ball had just enough lift and was placed in the perfect spot for Remis to catch it in the end zone over Aiden Reyes, who had tight coverage on the play.
“That’s what I came here for,” Remis said. “Give me those pressure moments, get me in the end zone and let me make that catch.”
Carter later made it 32-6 in the third quarter with an 18-yard touchdown scamper.
“I’m really excited to be here,” Carter said. “I know we’re going to do great things. I know we’re going to go on a big run. I feel like we’re going to surprise a lot of people.”
The La Salle defense held Arcadia to only 112 total yards and forced two interceptions.
The score might have been more lopsided if not for 19 penalties for La Salle. Three touchdowns were actually called back because of penalties. It’s something La Salle coach Mark Serve said will be cleaned up.
Arcadia sophomore quarterback Freddy Bysshe was flustered by the La Salle front seven. He completed 11 of 24 passes for 82 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
His touchdown pass came in the second quarter when he found Joshua De Luca open in the end zone for a 10-yard score.
Reyes caught four passes for 34 yards and added a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Arcadia, which finished 2-8 last season, is hoping to bounce back this year like La Salle. Arcadia is now in the new Crest League and figures to be a favorite to win it.
La Salle, which finished 3-7 last season, can match that win total next week with a win over St. Genevieve.
“There is a ton of support here,” said Serve. “A lot of people may not have seen the growth the past couple of years. We are getting the right families to come to La Salle. We’re getting great support from the administration, and I think you’re starting to see the fruits of all that right now.”
“I transferred in last year and had to sit out the first five games,” said Bacot. “I played the last five games but didn’t get to build chemistry with my teammates much. We got some transfers in this year. Coach Serve—just his resume and winning record and what he does—how can you not have confidence when you’re getting led behind a guy like that?”