Garcia’s Three Scores Lead El Modena Past Villa Park, 38-23

Adam Garcia is an El Modena tailback with some swift moves. Friday night, he set out to prove it against Villa Park in the Century League opener for both teams.

Villa Park probably wished he hadn’t showed up at all.

Garcia ran for 130 yards in 26 carries and scored three touchdowns--one on a pass reception-- to lead El Modena (3-3) to a 38-23 victory over defending-league co-champion Villa Park (3-3) in front of 3,000 at El Modena High School.

It was the homecoming game for Villa Park, but the crowd was subdued by the time it came time for the halftime festivities, when El Modena held a comfortable 24-3 lead.

After a 23-yard field goal by El Modena quarterback Jose Prado with 6 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Vanguards kicked it into high gear in the second period.

Their first score of the quarter came on a 24-yard pass play from Prado to Garcia--his only reception of the night--with 11:29 left. They struck again on their next possession on a 72-yard pass play from Prado to wide receiver Darryll Holguin and then again with :29 left in the half on a six-yard run by Garcia around right end.

Villa Park managed a 24-yard field goal by Joe Hernandez midway through the quarter for its only points of the half.

Runs by Garcia (two yards) and senior fullback Mike Pallad (four runs) in the third period capped the scoring for El Modena, which then dug in to turn back a comeback effort by Villa Park.

The Spartans managed to close the gap with a three-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Ellis Williams in the third period and with 13 points in the final quarter, the first seven on a Don Bladow six-yard run and a Hernandez conversion, and the last six on a 23-yard pass play from quarterback Jason Martian to split end Brad Creagan with two minutes left. Prado completed seven of 14 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Martian was eight of 19 for 132 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted twice by defensive back Oscar Vasquez.

“We controlled the line of scrimmage in the first half,” said El Modena Coach Bill Backstrom. “Defensively, we played a very, very good first half.”