PLACENTIA – In a showdown of undefeated football teams Friday, El Dorado demonstrated that it is performance, not records, that define a team.
The Golden Hawks (3-0) scored on six of their seven first-half possessions en route to a 52-0 victory to derail Buena Park, whose 2-0 start to the season had erased some of the sting of a 22-game losing streak the Coyotes brought into this season.
“Last year when they played us, they were young and they had some success against us,” El Dorado coach Zack LaMonda said. “The future’s very bright for them but I wasn’t worried about them.”
That was clear from the opening kick, when a short touchdown drive ended with Isaiah Quintero’s 1-yard run with 9:52 gone in the first quarter.
A 12-yard punt set up a 24-yard scoring drive, ending in Nate Bento’s 8-yard pass to Chase Sanders three minutes later. Another short punt set up Bento’s 24-yard scoring strike to Sanders with 3:22 left, and Evan Campazano made it 24-0 with a 36-yard field goal with 27 seconds left in the first quarter.
Wyatt Tway, who replaced Bento in the second quarter, hit Ryan Sugar with a 10-yard TD pass five minutes into the second quarter. Bento finished the first half with a 20-yard TD to Gavin Rivera with 47 seconds remaining. Manav Baghat set up the score when he shot through and blocked a Buena Park punt.
The Golden Hawks’ relentless defense began to flex its muscle immediately. Buena Park lost quarterback Aaron Rodriguez with a shoulder injury on the Coyotes’ first play from scrimmage, sustained while recovering his own fumble.
“We’re not sure how serious it is, but there are going to be X-rays,” Buena Park coach David Prieto said. “I might be broken.”
“It’s sad to see that,” LaMonda said. “I don’t like to see anybody get hurt, but I don’t think that did anything to change our game plan.”
Buena Park did not get a first down until El Dorado started clearing the bench in the third quarter, and the Coyotes did not get across midfield until midway through the fourth quarter.
Buena Park was held to 82 yards of total offense, with a net of 1 yard in the first quarter.
Alex Delgado, who was the Coyotes’ starting quarterback last season, was overpowered by El Dorado. He completed just 9 of 26 passes, was sacked twice. He was intercepted by Sean Casey in the third quarter, and another two possible interceptions were dropped.
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El Dorado, conversely, played almost the entire game on Buena Park’s side of the 50-yard line, so the short field precluded any big numbers.
The Golden Hawks had a tidy 262 yards of total offense. Bento completed 6 of 8 passes for 78 yards, with Sanders catching four passes for 46 yards. Diego Soria finished as El Dorado’s leading rusher with 70 yards and a second-half touchdown.