Esperanza Reverts to Old Ways, Beats Santa Ana

Esperanza High School managed to defeat Santa Ana, 20-7, Saturday night at Bradford Stadium without throwing many passes and without top running back Mark Parlin, who is injured.

Instead, Esperanza, which was supposed to take the wraps off third-year quarterback Keith McDonald in 1990, reverted to its old standby, the running game, to gain the nonleague victory before 2,500 fans. The Aztecs gained 228 yards rushing and never trailed.

McDonald completed two of six passes for 61 yards and a touchdown, but the senior wasn’t complaining.

“We kept everything simple tonight,” McDonald said. “We just ran our basic offense. We don’t want to show everything we’ve got in the first game.”

That approach was guaranteed two weeks ago when Parlin bruised his thigh in the team’s final scrimmage. A year ago, he sustained torn ligaments in his ankle in the scrimmage and missed the opening three games.

Parlin’s replacements, Marcus Tayui and Jarod Smith, were more than capable Saturday night. Smith led all rushers with 107 yards in 14 carries and scored on a 70-yard run off a double reverse in the fourth quarter.

Tayui scored the first touchdown of the game, shifting through the right side of Santa Ana’s defensive line and then outracing the secondary to the end zone for a 25-yard scoring run.

Esperanza used another big play for its second touchdown of the first half. Smith sprinted down the left sideline and McDonald found him all alone on the 10-yard line for a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Gus Plasencia Santa Ana’s returning all-league kicker, used his feet to get his team its only touchdown of the first half. Plasencia ran 34 yards on a fake punt play to give Santa Ana a first down on Esperanza’s 21-yard line.

Albert Perez threw an 11-yard pass to Marc Contreras, the player he beat out for the quarterback position, to give the Saints another first down at 10-yard line. Fullback Kevin Pola scored two plays later.

Santa Ana gained only 41 yards rushing and its top back, Alfonso Rivas, has been declared academically ineligible for the next five weeks.

Perez completed eight of 20 passes for 78 yards and had one interception.