CERES -- Livingston High's defensive plan was sound enough.
The Wolves planned to Contain explosive Ja'Quan Gardner with a 6-2 front and force Central Valley to find a different weapon Friday.
Glenn McCloskey had the same strategy -- and he's the CV coach.
"I expected the defense and that they would go after Ja'Quan. It's what I would do," said the Hawks' first-year coach. "We got a chance to show our diversity in this one."
While Gardner was held to a season-low 67 yards, CV had a season-high six TDs on the way to a 42-7 Western Athletic Conference-opening victory over Livingston.
Both were 3-1, and both aspire to reach the playoffs. Livingston has become a playoff regular under coach Chris Lacey, but CV has yet to make a postseason appearance.
That drought could end with McCloskey, who previously coached in Minnesota and brings an offensive playbook that's full of ideas.
Gardner had 784 yards through four games, 196 a game, to go with eight TDs. He had 851 yards now.
CV gave Livingston a number of different looks, including a bit of wishbone with quarterback Abraham Navarro directing the attack.
With Gardner held to 12 carries and 21 yards in the first half, CV needed a 37-yard toss from Navarro to sophomore Angelo Bermudez for a 7-7 halftime tie.
Navarro put the Hawks up for good in the third quarter, hitting Kenny Perry with a 5-yard strike. Navarro also ran for a TD during a 28-point fourth quarter.
Perry also picked off a pass, and teammate Ben Anitelea turned a loose ball into a 28-yard scoop-and-score to push the lead to 35-7. Raul Godinez intercepted two passes for CV.
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