By Tim Peterson
(Whittier) – Anthony Bonilla did the work on the ground with four touchdowns and Elijah Mitchell did the rest through the air to lead El Rancho to a 50-21 rout of Whittier Friday night at California High.
Bonilla rushed for 130 yards on 20 carries and the four scores including three in a big third quarter. Bonilla scored on runs of 22, one and three yards in the third as the Dons opened up a 43-14 lead.
El Rancho added one more score in the fourth quarter to hit the 50 mark. Dylan Dominguez broke through the line of scrimmage and busted off a 79-yard touchdown to make it 50-14.
Dons head coach Adrian Medrano emptied his bench and Whittier scored the final touchdown of the night on a 36-yard romp by Elijah Guerrero.
After a scoreless first quarter El Rancho put together a 10-play, 62-yard drive with Mitchell keeping the ball and scoring himself on a two-yard run. A two point conversion made it 8-0.
After a Whittier fumble the Dons took advantage of a short field and scored again. Bonilla got his first of the night from 11 yards out to finish a quick 51-yard march to make it 15-0.
The Cardinals coughed it up again and El Rancho scored again. Mitchell connected with Jerahmy Fuentes on a 12-yard touchdown pass and the Dons had their third score in six minutes. El Rancho led 22-0 with three minutes left in the half.
Whittier put up a murmur of protest with 45-yard touchdown pass from Tyton Willard to Angelo Miranda late in the second quarter. A Mitchell interception led to a golden opportunity for Whittier but El Rancho stopped the Cardinals at the two-yard line on fourth down just before half time.
The Dons took a 22-7 lead into the break.
El Rancho scored on its first three possessions in the third quarter to blow it wide open. Bonilla capped a 60-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown run on the first drive. Then after Whittier was stopped on fourth down at its own 19 yard line Bonilla needed just two plays to find the end zone again. He plunged in from the one for his third of the night.
Bonilla got number four with 2:22 left in the quarter on a three-yard blast.
Vincent Ancich made a leaping grab of a 16-yard touchdown pass from Willard for Whittier before Bonilla’s final score but it wasn’t nearly enough for Whittier.
Mitchell completed 18 of 31 for 209 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Mitchell also had the rushing touchdown. But it was Bonilla who did the dirty work on the ground.
Guerrero rushed for 109 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown for Whittier.
The Dons remained perfect on the season improving to 8-0 and 2-0 in the Del Rio League. Whittier is 2-5 and 1-1.
No matter what ER has played not the weakest but a pretty weak schedule. the ranch18 you say they physical? When LS has destroyed you every year by a large margin. You sir are the reason they will never be a legitimate contender. Was it ER who cant fill a freshmen team or was it you and another school?
No matter what the outcome El Rancho has taken care of all opponents in its path thus far. Kudos to them for what they have accomplished. In the Del Rio League it is obvious who will represent. The Del Rio League finally will be intense. We all know who will be favored but we are intrigued by the possibilities. Good luck La Serna and El Rancho a classic ending
No matter what division we end up in …
No matter who we play…
THE RANCH is going to come at you 💯% Plus!
It will be a physical game…
win or lose …
YOU WILL NEVER BEAT ER
Let’s GO!!! Beat SF!
@ER4Life: You got that right. Say what you will about the Billy Buckners and the Buffalo Bills. At least they were there!
If we get pushed to D3 and get blown out first round. That is what it is. As long as we know we won league and made it to D3 playoffs that is a accomplishment within itself. No one can take that from those boys.
Sloppy start but took care of business. Let’s go El Rancho beat SF !
ER would not move up to D3. If they did they’d me smacked out of the first round.
Pretty nuts, but we can’t control the playoff system, we just line it up with whoever we have to play.
If El Rancho beats La Serna according to the Cal preps system they could move up to D4 and possibly D3. That could mean a first round game against Loyola, Etiwanda, St. Francis and if Amat loses to Alemany they could play Amat round one. Never mind playing La Habra, according to Cal preps they wouldn’t be in El Rancho’s league. La Habra would play in a easier lower division, a team like La Serna.
This one could have been a trap game. It was until midway in the 3rd quarter then the boys woke up. Not the time to lose focus. Santa Fe will be starting fights and taking shots. They have nothing to lose. Be smart. Don’t let them get you thrown out and then you have to sit out the La Serna game. That would be a shame.
Sloppy hangover game, the kids couldn’t really get up for Whittier like they did last week, but still handled business rather easily. On to Santa Fe, time to work.