EM Finishes South Early

Like action heroes walking away from a detonation. Saul Chavez (#8) & Fernando Espinoza (#28) each caught a pair touchdown passes Friday night. (Photo by Joe T.)

Like action heroes walking away from a detonation. Saul Chavez (#8) & Fernando Espinoza (#28) each caught a pair touchdown passes Friday night. (Photo by Joe T.)

By Joe Torosian

(El Monte)- El Monte spotted South El Monte an 8-0 lead in their annual Griffin Bowl match up, but then scored the next 44 to take an easy 44-15 victory over the Eagles on Friday night at (what some old timers on the sideline were calling) Legion Stadium.

The spark igniting the fire for the Lions was quarterback Edward Dominguez. The lanky the junior completed 11 of 22 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 17 times for 160 yards and another score.

South’s Jaime Michel put his team up with 9:13 left in the first quarter on a 33-yard run. Marcos Lopez added the deuce and it was 8-0. The Lions responded with an 80-yard game tying drive capped by a 23-yard strike from Dominguez to Saul Chavez. Dominguez converted the two-point conversion.

The game turned early in the second quarter when El Monte went 81 yards in five plays. The series was highlighted by a 57-yards Dominguez run to put them in business at Eagles 23. Two plays later he scored from 8-yards, but a pass failed on the two-pointer.

Kicking off the Lions wouldn’t know a deep kick or a touchback if it fell on them, they booted it onside (like they do all the time) and recovered at the South El Monte 48.

EM OC Brian Tabatabai’s offense was aided by a pair of offside calls and a pass interference and a 20-yard run by Dominguez. Then on third and 12 from the Eagles 13 Dominguez delivered a fastball to Fernando Espinoza. With two more added on the conversion the Lions took a 22-8 lead.

South recovered the onside kick at the fifty and worked it’s way down to set up a first and goal at the nine. Lopez ran for 7-yards to the two before being stopped on third and goal for no gain, but El Monte was called for a chop block. The ball was moved to the one and third down was replayed. Again Lopez was stacked up by the defense, and Michel was stopped inches from the goal line on fourth down.

The Lions took over and moved the ball out to the seven. Then on third and 15 Dominguez hit Robert Gonzalez for a 70-yard gain that took the ball to the South 23.

“Finish them now! Finish them now!” El Monte HC Joel Sanchez yelled at his offense as they raced down the field to set up.

Two plays later Dominguez and Gonzalez hooked up for a 20-yard touchdown and it was finished.

***El Monte led 30-8 at the half.
***South El Monte running back Marcos Lopez was limited to 33 yards on 14 carries.
***The Lions Devin Romero rushed for 93 yards on 18 carries.
***Eagles quarterback Jaime Michel: 8 of 28 for 156 yards, one pick.
***El Monte started on the offensive line: LT: Jonathan Ponce, LG: Bryan Cornejo, C: Robert Rodriguez, RG: Luis Diaz, RT: Fabian Cuevas.
***South El Monte started on the offensive line: LT: Martin Rodriguez, LG: Chris Lopez, C: Damien Torres, RG: Jesse Medina, RT: Michael Ahumada.
***Lions receivers: Saul Chavez 4 catches/52 yards 2Tds. Fernando Espinoza 4 catches/102 yards 2 Tds. Robert Gonzalez 3 catches/116 yards Td.
***Eagles Michel scored both touchdowns. South failed to score three times inside the EM 20.
***El Monte expects to have Roy Barajas back very soon.
***South El Monte is now 2-1 in the Mission Valley League, 2-5 overall.
***EM, on bye next week, improved to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in league. They have View and Gabrielino remaining on the schedule.

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