BUENA PARK – After a trying loss last week, Buena Park coach Anthony White hoped for a more defensive effort from his team Friday night. The Coyotes gave him all that and more.
In a matchup of the Freeway League’s two 5-1 teams, Buena Park was commanding from start to finish, shutting out Sunny Hills in a 40-0 victory at Spaulding Stadium.
It was a welcome outcome after the Coyotes’ 42-35 loss to perennial league favorite La Habra.
“Our tackling was vastly improved from last week,” White said. “We were ready for this game (after) hard practice and we’re ready for the rest of the Freeway League.”
Marcus Loudon rushed for a career-high 271 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns for Buena Park.
Quarterback Zach Taylor completed 10 of 16 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for a third.
Jaylinn Hawkins – again the favored receiver – snagged six catches for 126 yards.
Perhaps Hawkins’ most impressive reception was a short pass that he turned into a 50-yard score after eluding two tackles and racing down the sideline. It was his second touchdown of the night.
The Coyotes (6-1, 1-1) led, 20-0, at halftime.
Sunny Hills (5-2, 0-2) drove inside Buena Park’s 10-yard line twice but was stopped both times.
The Coyotes’ Cedric Dashiel sacked Connor Holz for an 8-yard loss to force a turnover on downs in the first quarter. In the third quarter, the Lancers’ 9-minute, 14-play drive ended with Sunny Hills turning the ball over on downs on Buena Park’s 1-yard line.
On the ensuing play, Loudon found a hole on the right side and rushed for a 99-yard TD. His next carry – on Buena Park’s next drive, in the fourth quarter – was an 80-yard TD run.
