MidValleySports.Com

By Duane Barker

(Pico Rivera) El Rancho’s Elijah Mitchell tossed four touchdowns all to Jacob Jimenez in a 38-28 victory over the visiting Cal Condors on homecoming night kicking off Del Rio League play at El Rancho High School.

The four touchdown grabs by Jimenez went two for 40-yards, one for 79 and the final was for four yards with a Condor defender draping Jimenez on a slant.

El Rancho got the ball to start the game and immediately went on a 11-play drive down into Cal territory. When the drive stalled, Jacob Medina came on to boot a 30-yard field goal. 

There was a bit of controversy prior to the field goal as the referee was not going to allow Medina to use a flat field goal tee. This type of tee has been in use in high school games for as long as anyone can remember. After a bit of discussion, the tee was allowed.

The field goal was the only score in the opening frame.

Early in the second quarter the Dons got on the board on the first of the 40-yards touchdown strikes from Mitchell to Jimenez. The Don’s were set up with decent field position when the Condors went for it on fourth and eight on the El Rancho 34. Cal’s Daniel Torres’ pass fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs. 

On the ensuing drive for Cal, the Condors only needed one play to get on the board. Vance Johnson took the handoff, broke through the Don’s defense and outraced the defenders to paydirt. Sebastian DeLeon came on to boot the extra point to cut the El Rancho lead back to three.

El Rancho came right back to increase their lead back to 10 on the second 40-yard bomb from Mitchell to Jimenez.

Things got interesting again as Johnson took the ensuing kickoff 62-yards down to the Don 28. Two plays later Torres found Jesse Hernandez in the back of the endzone for the score. DeLeon again booted through the extra point.

With time winding down in the first half, Mitchell dropped back to pass and aired one out in the direction of who else…Jimenez. Jimenez hauled in the pass deep behind the Condor defense for 79-yards and the touchdown. 

Cal’s last drive of the first half and the first of the second half were stopped on two back breaking interceptions by Isaiah Paulo after the Condors had marched into El Rancho territory.

Both times the Cal defense held, forcing the Dons to punt.

With 5:13 left to play in the third, the Condors again got to within three of the lead. A short El Rancho punt put Cal on the El Rancho 35 first and ten. Two plays later Torres found Hernandez for the second time on a 30-yard touchdown pass.

The Dons again answered the Condor score marching 70-yard on nine plays with Mitchell’s fourth td pass to Jimenez. When Medina added the extra point, the lead was back to 10. Mitchell finished the evening hitting on 17 of 29 passes for 291 yards and the four scores.

Jimenez hauled in six catches for 169 yards and four td’s

Early in the fourth, El Rancho finally got a little breathing room with a 2-yard touchdown plunge from Anthony “Bobo” Bonilla. Medina again added the extra point for the 17 point advantage. Bonilla was the workhorse on the ground for El Rancho grinding up 123-yards on 26 carries.

The Condors were not quite finished taking the ball 74-yards on 12 plays and Torres finding Alex Petigny 12-yard catch and carry with 4:35 left to play. DeLeon added the extra point to once again cut the lead to 10. Torres completed 17 of 28 for 170-yards and three td’s but two costly interceptions.

Cal managed another stop on defense forcing El Rancho to punt with 4:12 showing on the clock. Petigny returned the short punt out to his own 46.

Needing to score in rapid fashion, Torres first pass in the direction of Petigny fell incomplete. His second two were completed to David Ramos II but only for short gains. On fourth and four Torres was chased out of the pocket but couldn’t get away from the Don defense and was sack to end the drive and essentially the game.

Bonilla came on and on two consecutive carries got a first down for the Dons which was all they needed to take a knee and run out the clock.