Defense keeps Esperanza undefeated

PLACENTIA What a difference a year and a stingy defense make for the fourth-ranked Esperanza Aztecs.

A year ago, after losing to Newport Harbor, the then fourth-ranked Aztecs were happy to escape the field in one piece after suffering an eight-point upset loss. This year, there were no such worries.

"We're walking out of there and people are spitting on us and calling us names," Esperanza coach Bill Pendleton said of last year's loss. "Old ladies in wheelchairs were flipping us off. …The guys have been waiting a year for this game."

The wait was worth it as the Aztecs (7-0, 2-0) shut down the Sailors (5-1, 1-1) in a 28-7 home victory at Valencia High on Friday.

The Sailors took a 7-5 lead on a 55-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter. After that, the Aztecs relied on their running game and defense led by senior linebackers Brady Lukas and Blake Poole.

"We were focused on tempo and pursuing the ball," Lukas said. "They ran what we thought they would run, we've got to give hats off to our defensive coordinator (Greg Kemp). His game plan this week was unbelievable."

The Aztecs held the Sailors to minus-18 yards rushing in the first half. The Sailors eventually finished with 14 total rushing yards. 

"They (defense) have played well all year, and they did a great job tonight," Pendleton said. "We have a very good defense. I didn't expect basically a shutout, but we played well." 

Esperanza entered the game having held five of its previous six opponents to fewer than 20 points. It had allowed only seven points in its previous two games.

"We came out here blitzing, and they didn't know what was going on," Poole said.

Poole said this year's defense has the potential to be better than last year's unit, which allowed 11.2 points per game in Sunset League games.   "We're a lot more physical this year," he said.

"We have a little bit more experience this year."

The Aztecs' defensive effort was capped by a one-handed, over-the-shoulder interception by Nick Benvenuto in the fourth quarter.

While the Aztecs defense stymied the Sailors running game, it was the opposite on the other side of the ball. 

Jared Moore rushed for 128 yards, Reid Williams ran for 92 and two touchdowns and quarterback Sean McDonald had 96 yards.

Moore scored on a 53-yard run with 4:54 remaining in the second quarter to give the Aztecs an 11-7 lead. Aria Nabipur kicked a 31-yard field goal later to give Esperanza a 14-7 halftime lead. 

Williams capped the scoring with a pair of 1-yard touchdowns — one with 32 seconds left in the third quarter and then with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter — to seal the victory and allow the Aztecs a safer exit from the playing field.

"We went out there and got upset (last year) in the league opener," Lukas said. "We came out tonight fired up and fed off of that motivation all game long."

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com