ORANGE – The Southern Division second-round game between Los Amigos and Canyon wound up being a microcosm of the Comanches’ season.
Canyon couldn’t get anything going in first half, but it came out like a juggernaut in the second, rolling to a 27-3 victory over the Lobos at El Modena High.
The Comanches (6-6) will be on the road next week for a semifinal against Rancho Alamitos. The Vaqueros defeated Westminster, 34-29, on Friday.
Canyon is riding a six-game winning streak after dropping its first six games.
“Week 1 seems like a year ago,” Canyon coach Mike Ogas said. “It’s been a tale of two seasons for us, basically. We have a lot of momentum right now.”
Los Amigos (7-5) did a good job of sustaining long drives and controlling the clock in the first half.
As a result, the Comanches had only five possessions in the half and started every drive deep in their own territory.
A 19-yard field goal from Brian Ayala gave the Lobos a 3-0 lead at halftime.
On the first drive of the second half, Canyon’s Ethan Rogers recovered a fumble on the Los Amigos 16 yard line, giving the Comanches their first legitimate scoring opportunity of the game.
Canyon took advantage with a 1-yard touchdown run from Daniel Casas.
The turnover seemed to spark the Comanches, who scored on all four second half possessions.
Canyon got the ball back after Los Amigos went three-and-out on their next possession.
Four plays into a drive that started on the Canyon 24, quarterback Jason Harmon ran for a 54 yard touchdown, giving the Comanches a 13-3 lead.
Then Casas second 2-yard touchdown run gave the Comanches 20-3 lead early in the fourth.
Harmon’s 22-yard scoring pass to Matt Burns with 1:16 left in the game completed Canyon’s perfect second half.
Los Amigos gave the ball almost exclusively to Moby Contreras, who had 83 yards on 28 carries, but 50 of those yards came in the first half. Contreras entered the game as the county’s leading rusher, averaging 198 yards per game.
Harmon completed 6 of 12 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and ran for 92 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Canyon gained 252 yards on the ground.
Contact the writer: lponsi@ocregister.com
