Smothering Defense Again Does the Job : Football: Esperanza dominates El Dorado and clinches share of league title with 41-3 victory.

Another game, another overpowering performance by Esperanza High School’s football team. This time, the Aztecs blew away El Dorado, 41-3, with a suffocating defense, and a punishing running game.

So, what else is new? Friday’s wipeout had the look of many recent Esperanza games.

The victory, in front of 4,000 at Valencia High, was Esperanza’s 23rd consecutive, which is tops in the Southern Section. And it clinched a share of the Empire League championship. A victory over Cypress next week will give the Aztecs the title outright.

Even a staggering 15 penalties for 155 yards couldn’t hurt Esperanza (9-0, 4-0 in league). Neither could an interception on the Aztecs’ first possession, which set up a 23-yard field goal by El Dorado’s Blayne Leitner.

In the end, Esperanza had more than enough to make up for any mistakes.

The Aztecs, ranked No. 1 in Orange County and Southern Section Division III, gained 221 yards on the ground, returned two interceptions for touchdowns and limited El Dorado to 44 yards rushing and 50 yards passing.

Esperanza’s defense stood out in particular, according to Aztec Coach Gary Meek.

“They played a great game; they dominated,” he said.

Even that bungled first possession didn’t worry Meek.

“We just didn’t have a chance to get on track,” he said. “I didn’t doubt for a minute that we could move the ball.”

After Leitner’s field goal gave El Dorado (5-4, 2-2) an early lead, Esperanza scored on its next three possessions.

Jeff Gaeta scored on an eight-yard run, capping a 75-yard drive. Garrick Emry ran eight yards for another score, then quarterback Josh Buscaglio completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Corbett and the Aztecs led, 21-3, by halftime.

Buscaglio’s touchdown pass finished off a 90-yard, 13-play drive that used up 5:15 in the second quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Jason Long returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown, Buscaglio threw a 37-yard scoring pass to Kenny Hall, and Greg Cruikshank returned an interception 49 yards for the final touchdown.

Gaeta led the Esperanza rushing attack with 84 yards in 14 carries. Marcus Tayui had 61 yards in eight carries before leaving the game with a slight ankle sprain in the third quarter. Emry, the Aztecs’ leading rusher coming into the game, added 60 yards in 16 carries.