By Ron Vrooman
(Alhambra) – For the third time this season, the Alhambra Moors endured a horrendous first quarter, falling behind the visiting Montebello Oilers, 26-0, in their Almont League game last Friday night. But the Moors turned the tables against the Oilers, scoring 36 unanswered points to take a 10-point lead and then holding on for a 36-33 victory on Senior Night.
The win kept Alhambra’s playoff hopes alive while dimming Montebello’s. The two teams are now tied for third place, with the Moors currently holding the tiebreaker thanks to their defeat of the Oilers.
Quarterback Bryan Leonard overcame two first-half interceptions to lead Alhambra to victory, completing 20 of 34 passes for 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Both of his scoring passes went to wide receiver Joshua Soto, who caught 12 throws for a total of 189 yards.
Running back Erick Baray also played a pivotal role, carrying the ball 25 times for 120 yards and three scores, including the Moors’ go-ahead and final touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The Moors scored on five straight possessions in staging their comeback, beginning with Leonard’s five-yard touchdown pass to Soto with 30 seconds left before halftime.
After taking the second-half kickoff, Alhambra drove 90 yards in 12 plays, making the score 26-14 on Baray’s three-yard TD run and Emilio Reynoso’s extra point.
Reynoso then executed a successful onside kick; teammate Cyrus Wu caught the ball on a hop just past the midfield stripe and came down with it at the Montebello 47-yard line. Five plays later, Leonard hit Soto with a 22-yard touchdown pass, and with Reynoso’s conversion, the Oilers’ lead was cut to 26-21.
Montebello finally got possession again at its own 20-yard line after the ensuing kickoff by Reynoso went into the end zone for a touchback. The Oilers drove to the Alhambra 24 late in the third quarter, but turned the ball over on downs when quarterback Michael Valdivia’s pass on fourth-and-9 fell incomplete.
The Moors promptly took it the other way, scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run by Baray with 9:23 remaining in the game. Wu then caught a pass from Leonard for a two-point conversion that gave Alhambra a 29-26 lead.
On their next possession, the Oilers committed a turnover that would prove to be their downfall.
Valdivia threw a screen pass to wide receiver Isaiah Lugo on third and-15, but Lugo was stripped of the ball by Alhambra inside linebacker Julio Munoz. Outside ‘backer Steven Gomez recovered the fumble for the Moors at the Montebello 32.
On the next play, Baray raced down the right side for a TD, and, after Reynoso kicked the extra point, Alhambra suddenly had a 36-26 lead with 7:41 left.
The Moors then had an opportunity to put the game away when Wu, playing at strong safety, intercepted a deep pass by Valdivia at the Alhambra 37. The Moors drove to the Montebello 31, but failed to convert on fourth-and-3.
With their hopes renewed, the Oilers cut Alhambra’s margin to 36-33 on Raul Gonzalez’s five-yard scoring run and Erik Aragon’s extra point with 32 seconds left in the game.
However, Montebello’s ensuing onside kick bounced out-of-bounds, automatically giving the Moors possession of the ball at their own 43-yard line. Leonard, Alhambra’s freshman quarterback, came in to take a knee and that was it.
The Moors gained 422 yards from scrimmage, while the Oilers ended up with 264 total yards. Penalties were a prominent part of the game as well; Alhambra was penalized nine times for 75 yards, and Montebello amassed 13 penalties for 106 yards.
Valdivia completed seven of 20 passes for 154 yards and two scores, and he was intercepted twice. His leading receiver was Anthony Patel, who made five catches for 137 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns.
Gonzalez was the Oilers’ workhorse on the ground, rushing 19 times for 102 yards and two TD’s.
Alhambra lifted its record to 2-2 in the Almont League and 4-5 overall, while Montebello dropped to 2-2 in league and 5-4 overall.
The Moors will attempt to realize their playoff ambitions with a homecoming win over San Gabriel on Friday night. In the meantime, the Oilers will take on their up-the-hill rivals, the second-place Schurr Spartans.
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