By Tony Solorzano
(Pico Rivera) – A two-point conversion attempt with one minute left in the game proved to be the difference as El Rancho held on to knock off Bell Gardens 27-26 Friday Night at Dons Memorial Stadium.
After an opening week loss to Los Altos, the Dons (2-1, 0-0) rattled off another win against an opponent they weren’t expected to beat. But the Lancers (0-2, 0-0) didn’t go down without a fight.
In the first quarter, the Lancers got on the board first on Jorge Remigio’s 54-yard run with 6:41 left in the quarter, however, the point after attempt failed when the snap was blown. The Dons answered back on the next drive as quarterback Joey Sanchez called his own number and scored form a yard out, tying the score. But just like the bad snap for the Lancers, the Dons also suffered from a fluke as kicker Edwin Chavez’s point after attempt struck the crossbar, bounced straight up then hit the bar again, bouncing the ball back onto the field deny the extra point.
The Lancers seemed to open the game up in the second quarter with two scores in a 90-second period. After getting the ball back following the Dons’ first score, the Lancers then spent the next 8:22 on a 18-play drive, culminating in Remigio’s second score form a yard out. However, Ricardo Pena’s point after was blocked. Then on the following drive, the Dons were forced to punt from their own 32 yard line, however, Chavez’s punt was blocked and picked up by Joseph Ortiz who ran it back for a score. Quarterback Albert Lara added a two-point conversion by hitting Remigio with a pass to the side, giving the Lancers the 20-6 lead.
However, the Dons came back on their next two possessions with two quick scores. First, Sanchez connected with Johnny Garcia on a third-and-nine at the Dons’ 16 yardline, going 84 yards for the touchdown. Then after forcing the Lancers to punt, Josh Lopez took a handoff from mid-field, broke two tackles and broke out for a 54-yard score, tying the game with 1:55 left in the half.
The Lancers had an opportunity to go into the half with a lead but an 11-yard rush by Alex Orozco that would have put the Lancers on the Dons’ 10-yard line ended up getting pushed back because of a personal foul penalty after the play finished. On the attempt, Pena’s field goal attempt also hit the goal posts, leaving the score tied as the half ended
After a scoreless third, the Dons took the lead with 3:18 left in the game on Sanchez’ second scoring pass, this one to Lopez for 66 yards. However, on the ensuing kickoff, the Lancers got a gift when a fumble on the return was picked up by Ortiz, who moved the ball to the Dons’ 29-yard line. Remigio closed out the drive with a 10-yard rush to close the score to 27-26, however, Lara’s pass attempt for the win was intercepted in the end zone, preserving the win for the Dons.
Lopez led the Dons’ ground game with 10 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. Sanchez completed seven of 11 pass attempts for 193 yards and a touchdown. Remigio led the Lancers’ offense with 18 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns, while Albert Lara only connected on one of three pass attempts for 10 yards.
The Dons will host another former Whitmont League rival, Montebello, Next Friday at Dons Memorial Stadium, while the Lancers head to Cantwell-Sacred Heart to take on the Cardinals.
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