Boldt Holds El Camino Real Together in 22-16 Win

Mike Maio rolled his eyes as he searched for the right words. The El Camino Real High co-coach has been through things like this before in the spring, when he coaches the baseball team.

Hmmm. How to describe the play of Sean Boldt, one of Maio’s football and baseball players.

“Let’s see if I can say this the right way,” Maio said. “When you’re always around the action, something is bound to happen. Sean is always around the action.”

The nuts and you-know-whats of you-know-who’s night: Boldt, making his second start of the season at quarterback, threw a pair of interceptions. Boldt, starting as usual at safety, intercepted two passes. Boldt, the big-play man on defense, returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Toss in a couple of blown coverages on defense that led to a pair of Reseda touchdowns, as well as a fumble, and you start to get the idea.

Behind Boldt and a stingy defense, El Camino Real defeated Reseda, 22-16, in a first-round game of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs Wednesday night at Canoga Park High.

El Camino Real (7-3) will face top-seeded Carson (9-1) in the quarterfinals Nov. 30 at Veteran’s Stadium in Long Beach. The Conquistadores limited Reseda (5-5) to eight rushing yards and forced seven turnovers.

Boldt gave generously, to both sides.

With El Camino Real leading, 22-6, in the fourth quarter, Boldt tossed a bad pitch that was recovered by Reseda’s Ricky Ray and returned to the Conquistadore 13. Reseda’s Gerald Cohl booted a 33-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 22-9 with 8 minutes 18 seconds to play.

Boldt then fumbled on El Camino Real’s next possession. To make amends, he intercepted a pass by Jeff Kent three plays later. He then tossed an interception to Reseda linebacker Edgar Fernandez at the El Camino Real 43 with 4:56 left. Whew.

Kent completed a 35-yard pass to receiver Henry McAlpine--Boldt tipped the ball as it arrived--to set up a Reseda touchdown.

But the Conquistadores made Reseda work for it. The Regents took four plays to score from the three-yard line, with Maurice Stepter hammering in on fourth down from one yard. Only 1:22 remained, however, and the onside kick by Reseda was recovered by El Camino Real, which ran out the clock.

Ray’s fingerprints were all over the scoring in the first half. Unfortunately for the Regents, they were not on the football.

On Reseda’s second play from scrimmage, Ray fumbled a handoff near the left sideline and Boldt scooped up the loose ball and raced 27 yards for a 6-0 lead with 5:19 left in the first quarter.

Ray then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and El Camino Real recovered at the Reseda 37. Joe LaFirenza kicked a 22-yard field goal to give El Camino Real a 9-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Jim Robertson hammered Reseda quarterback Deon Edwards, causing a fumble that was recovered at the Regent 18 by Adam Guzzo. Three plays later, Andy Hasson bulled in from 12 yards on an inside handoff to give El Camino Real a 16-0 lead with 7:54 left in the half.