MidValleySports.Com

El Rancho “Renaissance Man” Ryan Arajuo (Photo by Alex Gonzalez)

By Alex Gonzalez

(Pico Rivera)- El Rancho’s defense scored 21 unanswered points in the second half and Ryan Araujo accumulated 270-total yards and two scores in the Don’s 45-13 win over the Santa Fe Dons Friday night at Don Memorial Stadium. 

The Ranch drove down the field in eight plays, two and a half minutes to score first, when Jose Portillo’s 26-yard field goal put his team up three.

Eight minutes later, Chief kicker, Alex Moreno kicked a 26-yard field goal of his own to tie the game late in the first quarter.

However, on the ensuing kick off, Robert Ronledo returned the kick 92-yards to put the Dons up seven.

Santa Fe responded with quarterback Christian Lara connecting with Anthony Jones for 68-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 10 with 7:22 left before halftime. The Chiefs added three more to their lead after Moreno kicked a 35-yard field just before the break.

The Don’s tried to tie the game but their 29-yard field goal was blocked in the closing seconds of the first half. At the end of the half Santa Fe lead El Rancho 13-10.

In the third, following a fumble, both Araujo and Arron Escareno ran the ball to score the teams first offensive touchdown. Araujo scored on a 15-yard run, reclaiming the lead, 17-13.

Following an Escareno rushing touchdown, the Dons defense shut out the Chiefs offense for the remainder of the game. Andy Alanic started the rally after he retuned an interception for six. Ronledo recoverd a fumble and turned it into points. The final touchdown came when Araujo retuned his interception 57-yards.

***Santa Fe had defeated El Rancho five consecutive times (2008-2012) prior to last night.

***The victory was The Ranch’s first over the SF since 2007 when Ray Madrid scored a pair of touchdowns to lead ER to a 19-13 victory.

***The Don’s defense outscored the Chief offense 21-13.

***Santa Fe committed 6 turnovers. Three fumbles, two ints, and one turn over on downs.

***Araujo: 136-yards passing, 77-yards rushing, pick six, rushing touchdown.

***”We got a lot of seniors on the defensive side of the ball and they played lights out”— Don Head Coach Vinnie Lopez

***Moreno 2-2 field goals 26,35

***Ranch’s Escareno: 58-yards rushing, one touchdown.

***Santa Fe’s Jones: 83-yards receiving, one touchdown, one fumble.

***”We always say defense wins championships.”— Ryan Araujo

***Santa Fe (5-4 overall, 2-2 in Del Rio League) hosts California (4-5, 2-2 league) next Friday night.

***El Rancho (6-3, 4-0 league) plays La Serna (7-2, 4-0 leagaue) next Thursday for Del Rio league title.