By George Hernandez
(Norwalk) – Michael Mueller and David Herrera each had 200-plus yards and three touchdowns in Norwalk’s 44-30 victory over El Rancho Friday night at Norwalk.
The Lancers stopped the Dons on their first drive and then got to work on a 70-yard eight play drive that was capped off with a five- yard touchdown run by Herrera.
Norwalk forced a fumble and it was scooped up by Jesse Barrientez and taken the wrong way 60-yards giving the Dons a safety and putting the score at 7-2.
El Rancho was forced to punt again and the ball was stopped on the one yard line. After a Dons offsides call Herrera took a 36-pitch for 95-yards to paydirt for the Lancers to make it 15-2 after an Angel Lima Guerra two point conversion was good.
The Dons got in the end zone on the last play of the first quarter when Angel Diaz slipped through the Lancers defense and took it in for a 32-yard touchdown.
Herrera returned the kickoff back 85-yards which was called back for an unsportsmanlike conduct call.
Norwalk and El Rancho went back and forth with defensive stands until the end of the second quarter when Herrera dove in from two yards for his third score of the game with three minutes left in the half.
Three minutes were enough time for Ryan Vasquez to find Diaz for a 71-yard touchdown pass cutting into the lead making it 21-16 at half.
The Lancers came out fast in the second half with their first two possessions leading to touchdown runs by Mueller of 56 and 58-yards making it 37-16 late in the third.
Vasquez connected again with Diaz before before the end of the third quarter on a 55-yard strike putting the score at 37-23.
The Dons would make it a one score lead when Vasquez hit Andrew Bojorquez on a 36-yarder.
El Rancho recovered the onside kick but the Lancers forced a long fourth down and Vazquez just missed Diaz with just over four minutes left.
Norwalk got another one on the board by Mueller on another 58-yarder putting the game away at 44-30.
Mueller finished with 18-carries for 224-yards and three scores while Herrera had 245-yards on 17-carries and three scores.
Diaz was the offense for the Dons finishing with 134 receiving two scores and another 26-yards on the ground and a touchdown. Vasquez went 14 for 27 for 260-yards and three touchdowns with an interception.
The Lancers (6-0) and Dons (3-3) will both have a bye next week.
You’re right, we got beat and that’s it. Back to the drawing board, 0 excuses.
“could’ve gone either way”
“Lancers pound Dons a little exaggeration”
“onside kick was the hardest hit of the night”
“weakened secondary”
ya’ll got beat just deal with it lol
and what’s your definition of getting better? ER only getting worse.
yea sure bob
eR is only getting better
The Rancho is only getting worse. Get out and transfer while you can.
lol yea right
I think that 500 plus rushing yards is consider a pounding. Let’s not make excuses norwalk beat us down the field. Let’s be real one onside hit doesn’t mean anything. We just have to get them next year.
Let’s Go Norwalk. ER appears in the next pioneer or Santa Fe?
The onside kick was the hardest hit of the night, Norwalk gained so many yards by exploiting a secondary that would not come up and make a tackle if their life depended on it, Norwalk deserved the win.
Lancers pound Dons a little exaggeration, Ask the Lancer who fielded the on-side kick in the 4th. Their yard were gained on the edges against a weakened secondary. No excuses Norwalk has some fast edge runners but pounded not so much.
Congratulations Norwalk ,
This is definitely a hard loss to swallow, a lot of mistakes made on both sides for both teams … but it was fun and exciting game .. could have gone either way .
We take the good and learn from the bad , hopefully we play Norwalk again next year, bc this left a bitter taste @ The Ranch ! Lol
Good luck in league , maybe we see each other in playoffs