MidValleySports.Com

By Duane Barker

(South El Monte) “The Swamp” on the campus of South El Monte High School lived up to its name Friday night as the South El Monte Eagles hosted the Indian Springs Coyotes in the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 14 playoffs and came away with a rain soaked 14-7 victory.

The Eagles had to erase a 7-0 fourth quarter deficit to get the win and did so on the legs and back of Damian Cordova who scored two touchdowns and a two point conversion in the final frame to help South El Monte advance.

Both teams’ defenses had the advantage in the first half as the rain poured down making sustained drives difficult.

South El Monte did have a couple of chances in the first half after driving deep into Coyote territory but offensive penalties killed both drives and the teams headed to the locker room tied at 0.

The majority of the third quarter was a repeat of the first two quarters until Indian Springs finally broke through on a 26-yard pass from Nikolas Padilla to Hector Aguilar. Padilla added the extra point as well for a 7-0 lead with just 33 ticks left on the third quarter clock.

The scoring drive for the Coyotes was set up when an exchange from Eagle quarterback Miguel Maldonado and Cordova ended up on the ground and Indian Springs recovered the ball at the Eagle 27.

With 8:04 left to play South El Monte drew to within one point on Cordova’s first score of the contest. The two yard run capped a 8-play 70-yard drive. The extra point was partially blocked and the Eagles trailed 7-6.

Gabriel Canchola set the Eagles up for their next score fielding a Coyote punt and returning it to the Indian Springs 14. Four plays later Cordova scored again from two yards away and then for good measure, scored on the two point conversion giving South El Monte a 14-7 lead.

From there the Eagle defense stepped up and held the Coyotes in check and getting their offense the ball back when Indian Springs turned the ball over on downs.

A couple of first downs from Maldonado with his feet and the rest is history.

Next Friday the Eagles will play host to the AB MIller Rebels in the CIF Division 14 Semi Finals..