What a way to start the Foothill League campaign.  Trailing for nearly the entire game, the Canyon Cowboys (3-2, 1-0) stormed back and scored a late go-ahead touchdown Friday before blocking a PAT on the next drive to take down the visiting Castaic Coyotes (2-3, 0-1), 36-35.  “It feels great, man. I already knew it was gonna be a great game,” said Canyon senior Evan Watts. “They’re a very good team, but we are, too. We have heart. That’s all I can say, man.”  With the game tied at 29-29 midway in the fourth quarter, Watts found himself open and caught quarterback Sebastian Martinez’s pass for a first down, but he didn’t stop there. He stiff-armed one Coyote before breaking a couple of tackles and stomping his way into the end zone.  Canyon Cowboy Semaj Richardson (24) struggles to get past a Castaic player during Friday night’s game. 092024 Katherine Quezada/The Signal “He’s like my Rob Gronkowski on my team,” Martinez said, referring to the multi-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I saw a smaller guy, and I said I’d take Evan’s chances over his.”  On the next drive, Castaic senior running back Monty Coleman scored his third touchdown of the game, but Canyon senior Joshua Cambaliza blocked the PAT to keep the Cowboys up by one.  Watts was in behind to make a play on the kick as well, but gave all the credit to his teammate.  “Out of every play in this game, that one was very much needed,” Watts said. “That’s the only reason why we won the game.”  Needing a couple of first downs to get to victory formation, Martinez was called on to convert on fourth and short. He did, and Canyon was able to kneel its way to a 1-0 start to league play.   “Our line has been doing their job on that play the past three times we ran it today, so I was like, ‘We can get it. We can do it again,’” Martinez said.  Castaic Coyote Monty Coleman (2) dodges numerous Cowboys before Andrew Ruiz (55) manages to stop him from traveling farther down the yard line during Friday night’s game. 092024 Katherine Quezada/The Signal The Cowboys got off to a hot start through sophomore running back Semaj Richardson. He took a 68-yard run to the house just a couple of plays into the Cowboys’ first drive after forcing a Castaic punt to start the game.  The Coyotes answered with a 25-yard field goal from senior Maddux Anderson on their next drive before Coleman put them out in front with a 22-yard run down the right sideline for a touchdown.  Coleman looked to be on his way to being brought down before finding space along the sideline and bursting through for the score.  Castaic junior quarterback Khanai Langford entered the game in the second quarter and immediately made his presence felt, hitting sophomore receiver Jesse Canaday from 2 yards out for Castaic’s first lead of the game.  Canyon got within a point near the end of the first half through junior running back Keyshawn Wooten, who ran it in from 3 yards out. Senior quarterback Sebastian Martinez ran in the 2-point conversion after a penalty call on the Coyotes on a missed PAT attempt.  Castaic quarterback Jayden Broderick (11)struggles to seek out an open teammate and is tackled by Canyon Cowboy Evan Watts (5) during Friday night’s game at Canyon High School. 092024 Katherine Quezada/The Signal Langford put Castaic up by 8 going into the break with his second touchdown pass of the night, hitting sophomore Isaiah Reid from 10 yards out.  Coleman scored his second of the night after Canyon punted to begin the second half, but it was nearly all Canyon from that point on.  Martinez hit junior Myles McCrory and then Cambaliza on back-to-back drives for touchdowns. Watts caught a 2-point pass on the latter to tie things up at 29-29 before he eventually scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.  Canyon head coach Ken Holsenbeck said it was important to get a win in the first league game of the year.  “It’s the biggest game of the year because it’s the first league game,” he said. “Every league win is important. That team played well over there tonight, had a really good offense, a lot of points getting scored up and down the field. Just excited to get out of there with a win.”  Canyon Cowboy Andrew Ruiz (55) tries to intercept Castaic quarterback’s Khanai Langford (1) throw during Friday’s game. 092024 Katherine Quezada/The Signal Most of the game was a battle of the three running backs, Coleman, Richardson and Wooten.  Coleman led all players with 190 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Langford completed 13 of 15 passes for 109 yards. Senior Jayden Broderick had 87 yards and completed 10 of 17 of his passes for Castaic.  Richardson had 151 yards on 19 carries and Wooten had 71 yards on just nine carries.  “We had a pregame speech that we would come out here and show the league that we’re here, and Canyon running backs, we’re the best out there,” Wooten said.  The Cowboys also had McCrory and Cambaliza speeding down the field after receptions, a big part of the Canyon game plan, Holsenbeck said.  “Any time you can get your speed guys in open space, they’re gonna make plays for you,” he said.  Castaic quarterback Jayden Broderick (11) prepares to pass the ball to an open teammate during Friday night’s game against the Canyon High School Coyotes. 092024 Katherine Quezada/The Signal Martinez wasn’t needed often, but delivered when it mattered most. He completed six of his nine passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns.  “He does what we ask him to do,” Holsenbeck said. “We’re always going to rely on a run game, but when we need him to come through for us, he does.”  Canyon now heads into the second week of league play with a road game against the Saugus Centurions (1-4, 0-1), who lost to Valencia on Friday, 62-21.  Castaic will take on the Golden Valley Grizzlies (4-1, 0-1) next week. Golden Valley suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, 34-19 to Hart.  The post Canyon football delivers late, beats Castaic in league opener  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.