MidValleySports.Com

Oilers linebacker (#32) Jordan Fowlkes

By Alex Gonzalez

(Montebello) – Jordan Fowlkes rushed for three touchdowns including the game winner in overtime, as Montebello survived a 48-41 shootout over San Gabriel Friday night at Montebello high school.

Despite blowing a 33-26 lead in the second half, the Oilers could not stop the Matadors air attack in the second half. Led by Marqus Valenzuela, the Matadors scored 28 points in the second half forcing overtime.

It only took one overtime for the Oilers to close out the Matadors and it didn’t take them long to score. They needed only four plays to drive down from their 25 to score. Oiler head coach Pete Gonzalez put the ball into to Fowlkes’ hands and let him do the rest. Fowlkes walked into the end zone for the games final touchdown putting the Oilers up 48-41.

“It became a shootout,” said Gonzalez “It was a game that we were down and we had to fight our way back. After we fought our way back we took the lead and gave some back and it went down to the end.”

For the Matadaors and their first possession of overtime, they fell behind quick behind the chains when they had a pass that went for a loss of two. After two more incomplete passes the Mats were in a fourth and long situation.

The play was a deep pass to Isai Fernandez. The pass was complete but in the referees’ eyes, Fernandez couldn’t keep possession of the ball ruling it an incomplete pass and ending the game.

“We started behind the chains right out the get go so your chasing 12-yards witch is tough with the short field,” said Matador head coach Jude Oliva. “We felt that he came down with the catch, but sometimes the ball don’t bounce your way.”

The second half was a whole new game for the Matadors. After being out scored 26-7 in the second quarter, the Matadors managed to score on every possession in the second half.
The second half scoring was led by Valenzuela. He threw for 13-20 in the second half connecting with six different receivers.

“He had a bad second quarter but he was able to respond after halftime and our adjustments,” said Oliva. “He did a heck of a job for us tonight, rallying us back into this overtime.”
His go to target was Joseph Mayorga who caught two passes for 131-yards. His first TD grab was on the Matadors first possession of the second half when he caught the ball deep in the Oilers defense and from there he was able to out run the whole defense.

Mayorga finished the night with 114-yards rushing on 15 carries and 145 receiving on six catches, two of those catches were touchdowns -one for 83-yards and the other for 48.

“Mayorga is everything to us. He’s grown up quite a bit since last year in the playoffs and now were really counting on him and leaning on him, ” said Oliva. “He’s big for us.”

The Oilers were shut down in the first quarter. Marcus Portillo and Fowlkes led the team, driving them down field but they could’t score.

However, once the second quarter started, the Oilers scored quick and often. They came back from being down 14 and out scored the Matadors by 19. Ending the half 26-19.
With the win, the Oilers are 2-0 in Almont league play and look to continue their streak when they host Bell Gardens next week at Montebello high.

After the loss, the Matadors fall to 0-2 in league and 1-6 overall. They look to change that when they host Keppel high at San Gabriel.