Rare Downey Pass Preserves Victory

For a team that ran to extremes Friday night, Downey High School’s 14-7 victory over El Toro ultimately teetered on a couple of passes.

The first came from El Toro quarterback Bill McFadden. On a fourth-and-seven from the Downey 30, with little more than two minutes in the game, McFadden’s pass glanced off its target and into the hands of Downey’s Jahi Arnold, who returned the interception to the 29-yard line.

Attempting to run out the clock, Downey (1-2), which had not attempted a pass the entire game, faced a third-and-11 with 1:51 left to play. Quarterback Mike Rothenberger lofted a pass for Damon Hicklin, who ran under it for a 32-yard gain and control of the game. Rothenberger dropped to his knee a couple times and it was over.

It wasn’t the first big play for Hicklin; his 55-yard punt return early in the second quarter put Downey up, 7-0. To that point, Downey had been dominant on the ground, gaining 110 yards rushing in the first quarter alone. But a fumble on the El Toro 25 on its first drive and a missed field goal on its second gave Downey no better than a scoreless tie.

That is, until Hicklin’s return. El Toro (1-2) came right back with a 12-play scoring drive of its own. Though it was an eight-yard pass from McFadden to Wade Jackson that got El Toro its touchdown, the most important play was a third-and-23 screen to Jeff Brizic that gained 22 yards, allowed El Toro to convert on fourth-and-one and keep the drive alive.

El Toro wouldn’t score again, though it had a great opportunity to start the second half. A nine-play drive starting on its own 28 had put the ball on the Downey five. But a fumble on a handoff was recovered by Downey’s Bill Boukis at the nine.

Downey proceeded to go on the winning 91-yard touchdown drive. Key to its success was a personal foul called against El Toro when Rothenberger was tackled for a four-yard loss. Instead of third-and-14, Downey was given 15 yards and a first down. Nine plays later Victor Johnson bulled his way in on a 13-yard run with 47 seconds left in the third quarter.