Raymen Barraza was huge for Baldwin Park
This one had a little bit of everything. There were 63 points, seven turnovers, eight lead changes and more flags flown than on the Fourth of July. When the dust settled Baldwin Park emerged with a 33-30 win over El Monte Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
El Monte had a chance for a ninth lead change late in the contest but Eddie Dominguez was intercepted by Nick Caravantes with just over a minute left to seal it. The Braves then ran out the clock.
The pick was the third of the night for Dominguez but when you throw the ball nearly 40 times that tends to happen.
***The game winner for Baldwin Park came on a trick play. Raymen Barraza hauled in a pass from Hector Moran, who took a pitch from quarterback Anthony Franco and fired it down the field for an 81 yard touchdown with 4:31 left.
***”We knew we were going to run it at some point. We were just waiting for the right look and the right time. That was it,” said Baldwin Park HC Daniel Al gattas.
***Barraza was huge for the Braves all night with nine catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
***Dominguez completed 21 of 39 for 241 yards for El Monte. But he also was hurt by three interceptions.
***Baldwin Park led 13-8 after one and 16-14 at halftime. El Monte kept answering back leading the Braves twice in the second half including 30-26 with 7:01 left after a 27 yard TD romp by Roy Barrajas.
***Barrajas was the workhorse for the Lions. He was the only one that carried the ball hauling it 33 times for 238 yards and four touchdowns.
***El Monte committed five turnovers and Baldwin Park two – both interceptions by Robert Gonzalez.
***Dylan Mora booted two field goals for Baldwin Park and one of them was the difference. He hit from 39 yards out in the second quarter and 22 in the third.
***El Monte never punted the ball and went for two after every score. The Lions converted three of four two point conversions.
***It was the head coaching debut for the Braves’ Daniel Al gattas.
***El Monte took a 22-19 advantage with two seconds left in the third quarter on a one yard run by Barrajas. But Baldwin Park regained the lead on a 21 yard pass from Franco to Barraza early in the third setting the stage for the last two scores.
***Baldwin Park travels to Fountain Valley next week while El Monte stays home to take on Schurr.
BP 13 3 3 14 33
EM 8 6 8 8 30
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