MidValleySports.Com

By Ron Vrooman

(Alhambra) – The visiting Montebello Oilers took a big step toward a playoff spot by beating Alhambra, 24-14, in an Almont League game played Friday night at Moor Field. The Oilers (2-0 in league and 4-3 overall) are currently in a first-place tie with Schurr and Bell Gardens.   

On the other side of the ledger, the loss by the Moors left them with a slim chance of reaching the postseason, as they fell to 0-2 in league and 1-6 overall.   

The game was marred by turnovers and penalties. Montebello committed three turnovers, and the Oilers also accumulated 17 penalties totaling 151 yards. In the meantime, the Moors turned the ball over four times and were penalized 11 times for 63 yards, with all those infractions being called in the first half.    

The Oilers’ mistakes arguably kept Alhambra in the game until nearly the end. With the Oilers leading, 7-0, late in the first quarter, Alhambra linebacker Devin Martinez recovered a fumble by Montebello receiver Samuel Isidoro at the Moors’ 23-yard line. Alhambra then drove 77 yards for a game-tying touchdown, with penalties on the Oilers accounting for 55 of those yards.   

After falling behind, 21-7, late in the third quarter, the Moors were helped along by 28 more yards in penalties against Montebello as they drove 64 yards for their final score. Quarterback Bryan Leonard’s four-yard TD pass to tight end Andrew Ramos enabled Alhambra to cut the gap to 21-14 on the first play of the fourth quarter.   

However, all of that proved to be too little for the Moors, who suffered their fifth consecutive loss.   

Montebello quarterback Eddie Pimentel, a sophomore, connected on 12 of 18 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. Pimentel also scored on a one-yard keeper which put the Oilers ahead, 14-7, early in the second quarter.   

Another sophomore, Donovan Murillo, scored on a 23-yard run and kicked the extra point to extend Montebello’s lead to 21-7 with 4:02 remaining in the third quarter. Then, after the Moors came back to make the score 21-14, Murillo kicked a 35-yard field goal with 1:03 left in the game to clinch the victory for the Oilers.   

Montebello running back Freddy Morales, a senior, led all ballcarriers with 95 yards in 17 rushing attempts. For Alhambra, Leonard completed nine of 21 passes for just 69 yards, and he threw two interceptions, the first of which set up Murillo’s late field goal. In addition, the Moors rushed for only 30 yards, as the Oilers outgained them, 262 total yards to 99.