YORBA LINDA – Through three quarters of Friday’s nonleague home game, Esperanza had several scoring opportunities but nothing to show for it. It took just one play in the fourth to reverse that trend.
Wide receiver Blake Peters hauled in a 29-yard pass from Trevor Markowitz to start a scoring barrage that carried Esperanza to its first win of the year, a 21-14 victory over El Dorado at Yorba Linda High.
Peters and Markowitz hooked up again on the first play of the Aztecs’ next possession, this time for 49 yards, to give Esperanza (1-6) its first lead, 14-7. Esperanza’s defense capped the scoring with a 27-yard interception return by Mitchell White to make it 21-7.
El Dorado (0-7) pulled within a TD at 21-14 when Daniel Bucaro scored on a 1-yard run with 4:42 left.
The Golden Hawks scored quickly on their first possession of the game when Austin Shear hit running back Robert Arroyo in the flat and Arroyo rambled 64 yards down the right sideline for the game’s first touchdown.
Esperanza had a chance to score before halftime, but was turned away when cornerback Abraham Nunez intercepted a Markowitz pass at the goal line.
Esperanza coach Gary Bowers said he was glad to get the team’s first win of the season, but saw areas for improvement, especially after his team was penalized 12 times for 92 yards.
Bowers also wanted to thank El Dorado coach Zack LaMonda and his program for donating money for food and gifts in support of Clint Meyer, who played Friday after his father passed away after last week’s game.
“Coach LaMonda and his program is a class group,” Bowers said.
