YORBA LINDA – Yorba Linda faced adversity often Friday, turning the ball over six times – four fumbles and two interceptions – against El Dorado, but still emerged with a 21-6 nonleague victory at Yorba Linda.
“We put ourselves in a lot of tough situations and we responded,” Yorba Linda coach Jeff Bailey said. “It was a street fight.”
The No. 21-ranked Mustangs (4-0) came up with big takeaways, including three interceptions by sophomore Ricky Lane and a clinching 2-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jaydyn Webb with 4:36 to play.
Trailing 14-6, El Dorado recovered a muffed catch on a punt for a first down at the Yorba Linda 12-yard line late in the first half. On third-and-7, Lane intercepted at the 1.
Late in the third quarter, still behind by eight points, El Dorado drove 65 yards to the Yorba Linda 20. On third-and-12, Lane intercepted El Dorado quarterback Jack Rouse in the end zone.
In the fourth quarter, Blake Trani’s interception of a Luke Wilson pass stopped a Yorba Linda drive that had reached to the El Dorado 26. The Golden Hawks (2-2) took over at their 8.
On first down, Rouse tried to run and fumbled. Webb scooped the ball and scored from the 2.
Lane also caught seven passes for 96 yards and one touchdown, a 19-yarder from quarterback Wilson in the second quarter.
Yorba Linda led 14-6 at halftime despite four turnovers, three fumbles and an interception. El Dorado turned the ball over twice, both on Strouse interceptions by Lane.
Lane’s first pick put the Mustangs on the El Dorado 24-yard line in the first quarter. Yorba Linda needed five plays to score, four rushes to the 9 followed by a touchdown pass from Wilson to Luke Lassalle.
El Dorado scored early in the second quarter on Strouse’s 18-yard pass to Dylan Taylor, who ran under the high-arching ball and caught it in the corner of the end zone.
The point-after snap was briefly mishandled and it gave Nick Langseth just enough time to block Nathan Jaquez’s kick. It kept Yorba Linda in the lead, 7-6.
The Mustangs scored late in the second quarter on a 19-yard pass from Wilson to Lane, and Cole Magliano’s kick put them on top, 14-6.
Yorba Linda fumbled away a punt at its 12 with a minute to play in the half.
The Golden Hawks gained 3 yards on two plays and on third down, Lane intercepted Strouse at the 1.
“Lane had a great game,” Bailey said. “He’s a young kid, but he knows how to play the game. He knows how to find the ball.”
