MidValleySports.Com

By Corey Kowk

(Arroyo) – Arroyo scored on six of its first seven possessions to attain an insurmountable 42-0 halftime lead before easily routing El Monte 49-6 in a Mission Valley League bout at B.L Bergstrom Stadium.

Nathan Coto continued to improve at quarterback in this his senior season for the Knights, delivering three touchdown passes amidst completing nine of 17 attempts for 149 yards.

••Arroyo amassed 407 total yards of offense in the victory, with 149 via air, and the rest (258) on the ground.

••Randy Amezcua rushed for 128 yards on 12 carries, scored three touchdowns, and in addition to that added four receptions for 45 yards for a total of 173 yards on offense to lead Arroyo. Teammate Gabriel Gomez ran eight times for 81 yards, including a 26-yard sprint for Arroyo’s initial score of the game at 8:29 in the first.

••El Monte’s miscues were integral in Arroyo’s success, as all four Lion turnovers were converted into points by the Knights’ offense.

••Gilbert Martinez and Tony Hernandez each had an interception, Joey Rodriguez recovered a fumble, and Alex Enriquez posted a sack for the Knights’ defense.

••Two way starting all-purpose back and linebacker Jose Valdivia recovered a fumble and later hauled into paydirt a nine-yard strike from Coto with 2:23 left in the third quarter to increase the lead to 49-0 and bookend Arroyo’s scoring volley.

••The Knights, leading 21-0 after the opening stanza and Valdivia fumble recovery just seven seconds into the second, swelled it to 28-0 the ensuing play from scrimmage as Coto connected with Nico Lozano for a 30-yard house call.

••Arroyo hardly exhausted time while scoring, needing a minute or less on three occasions of its drives (two under ten seconds on one play each).

••Edward Dominguez finished 16 of 32 for 189 yards with two interceptions for the Lions, who were led in rushing by Roy Barrajas on 18 carries for 55 yards.

••Arroyo (6-1, 2-0 MVL) won its sixth consecutive game after a narrow season opening loss to Los Altos and will hit the short road to visit Mountain View next Friday aiming to continue its convincing run thus far in MVL action.

••El Monte continues to struggle in the post-Brandon Martinez and company era, losing its fourth in a row to fall to 1-6 overall and 0-2 in MVL. A homestand against Rosemead awaits next Friday.