PLACENTIA – For the first 24 minutes of Friday night’s homecoming game at Placentia High, winless El Dorado held Esperanza to no points and running back Brett Mullins to 10 yards rushing.
But Mullins and the Aztecs made the necessary halftime adjustments and roared past El Dorado, 23-0, behind 160 total yards and two touchdowns from Mullins.
Trevor Markowitz hit Mullins on a 6-yard touchdown pass to give Esperanza a 9-0 lead with 3:09 to play in the third quarter.
Mullins’ 40-yard run to the 6-yard line set up the score.
Conner McKeen put the game out of reach when his 41-yard sprint gave the Aztecs (3-4) a 16-0 advantage with 9:06 to play.
But Mullins wasn’t through, as the senior ran for a 10-yard TD with just under four minutes left to cap the Esperanza scoring.
Esperanza opens Crestview League play against Yorba Linda next week and Coach Gary Bowers is hoping the momentum of the last two victories will carry over.
“We’re playing much more disciplined than we did a year ago and make the crucial adjustments at halftime,” Bowers said. “Football is a game of momentum and we need to show we can consistently win.”
Mullins finished with 115 yards on 12 carries, and caught six passes for 42 yards.
Markowitz completed 11 of 14 passes for 103 yards and a score.
Dominick Martinez passed for 78 yards for El Dorado (0-7).
