Kickoff Return Kick-Starts El Modena in Second Half

El Modena football Coach Bill Backstrom was thoroughly confused at halftime. This couldn’t be winless Santa Ana Valley that the Vanguards were leading by only a touchdown, the same team Backstrom had watched on game films all week.

“Valley looked like a 6-0 team in the first half and we looked like we were 0-6 in the first half,” Backstrom said.

But a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by James Clarkston and two touchdown passes by Jose Prado in the second half helped El Modena, ranked fifth in Orange County, to a 26-7 victory Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium.

El Modena (7-0, 2-0 in league) limped to a 7-0 halftime lead before Clarkston’s dazzling kickoff return to open the second half got the Vanguards rolling.

Santa Ana Valley (0-7, 0-2) held El Modena to 52 yards total offense in the first half, including 26 yards passing by Prado.

“You have to give Valley credit,” Backstrom said. “We couldn’t do anything against them in the first half.”

But Prado came back, finishing with seven completions in 17 attempts for 106 yards and three touchdowns, including two to wide receiver Jay Montano. Montano had five catches for 96 yards.

El Modena’s only first-half touchdown was set up by a Santa Ana Valley miscue. The Falcons’ Jerry Flores bobbled a punt at the Santa Ana Valley 24-yard line, and the ball rolled to the six, where it was recovered by El Modena’s Joe Lovati.

After an El Modena holding penalty, Clarkston ran for three yards, and Prado followed with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Montano with 8 minutes 59 seconds left in the second quarter.

Backstrom was hardly comfortable with the Vanguards’ 7-0 halftime lead.

“I told the guys we could go out and flop around in the second half,” Backstrom said. “Or we could go out and play.”

Clarkston took the words to heart, returning the kickoff for a touchdown.

Prado followed with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Montano with two minutes left in the third quarter and a five-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Brown with 7:38 left in the fourth quarter.

Santa Ana Valley spoiled El Modena’s shutout hopes when quarterback Aaron Tuioti scored with 1:48 left in the fourth quarter.