Repeat Pass Patterns Give Verdugo Hills a 15-15 Tie With Grant : High school football: Kelly hits Brouchett on fade twice in a row.

VERDUGO HILLS — If it worked once, why not try it again?

That seemed to be the thinking among Verdugo Hills High coaches Friday and it resulted in a 15-15 tie against Grant in a nonleague opener.

Verdugo Hills pulled to within two points, 15-13, when quarterback David Kelly threw a seven-yard touchdown pass on a fade pattern to wide receiver Ryan Brouchett on a fourth down play with 3 minutes 45 seconds left in the game. The Dons tied the score when Kelly and Brouchett (three receptions for 44 yards) hooked up on an identical pattern for the two-point conversion.

Bouchett’s touchdown was set up when the Dons’ Derek Brown recovered the ball at the Grant four-yard line after a bad snap on an attempted punt.

Kelly, who completed five of 12 passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns, was thrown for a five-yard loss on first down. Jason Evans gained two yards on second down and Kelly’s third-down pass fell incomplete after being deflected at the line of scrimmage.

Verdugo Hills’ late score took some of the luster off a fine performance by Grant tailback Di-onte Smith, who scored two touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 143 yards in 22 carries.

His second score came on a 46-yard run early in the fourth quarter and gave the Lancers a 15-7 lead.

Grant trailed, 7-0, at halftime, but Smith’s eight-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion gave the Lancers an 8-7 lead midway through the third period.

Smith also scored on a two-yard run early in the second quarter, but it was nullified by a holding penalty. He picked up five yards on the ensuing second-and-goal play from the 12, but Grant went into reverse after that.

Montoya, who also plays quarterback, was sacked for a five-yard loss and Grant lost nine more yards on fourth down when receiver Adam Crespo fell on the ball after a bad snap.

Verdugo Hills marched 56 yards in 11 plays--capped by Kelly’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Jon Marino--on the opening possession of the game, but the Dons were held to 82 yards in total offense thereafter.

Grant quarterback Ruben Montoya completed six of 15 for 85 yards.