El Modena Survives Penalties : Prep football: The Vanguards are whistled 13 times for 152 yards, but behind quarterback Jose Prado, defeat Loara, 20-7.

Finesse football wasn’t exactly El Modena High School’s forte Friday night against Loara, but the Vanguards will take a victory any way they can.

Jose Prado completed 11 of 16 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns and the Vanguards capitalized on two second-half turnovers for a 20-7 victory in a nonleague game marred by 248 yards in penalties at El Modena.

El Modena improved to 2-3, while Loara dropped to 2-3.

El Modena Coach Bill Backstrom was pleased with the victory, but not with the penalties. El Modena was whistled for 13 penalties for 152 yards and Loara was called for 11 penalties totaling 96 yards.

“We had a lot of 15-yard penalties (seven) for a high school game,” Backstrom said. “Even the pros have gotten rid of all those 15-yarders. They (officials) called everything under the sun. Those 15-yarders really stifle your offense in high school.”

Still, Prado managed to move El Modena in the first half, finding wide receiver Jay Montano open for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 2 minutes 57 seconds left in the first quarter. Montano caught five passes for 77 yards.

El Modena led, 7-0, at halftime.

The Vanguards pushed the lead to 14-0 midway through the third quarter. Defensive back Tim Gray intercepted a pass by Loara’s Charles Gipson at the Loara 33-yard line, and Adam Garcia scored on a five-yard run five plays later. Garcia finished with 82 yards in 17 carries.

El Modena got the ball back on the ensuing possession when defensive tackle Chris Semanu recovered a Gipson fumble at the Loara 24.

Six plays later, Prado tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Darryll Holguin with 4:47 left in the third quarter. A bad snap kept the Vanguards from kicking the extra point.

Loara scored its only touchdown of the game with 2:44 remaining to play, when Gipson capped a 10-play, 61-yard drive with a five-yard run.

Backstrom said he wasn’t upset that his team gave up the late touchdown. He had substituted freely on the final drive.

“They scored the touchdown run against our No. 1 defense at the end,” Backstrom said. “But I wasn’t worried about the shutout. I just wanted to play some kids who normally don’t get to on that drive.”

El Modena outgained Loara, 280 yards to 198. The Vanguards held Gipson to 11-of-30 passing with 86 yards and two interceptions.

The Saxons gained 112 rushing, led by Shawn Easter’s 46 yards in 13 carries.

Backstrom was relieved after the victory. The Vanguards had lost their last two games by a total of six points.

“We really needed a win right now,” Backstrom said. “We had played well in the last two weeks and lost.”