El Camino Shrugs Off Rancho Santiago

One thing is becoming increasingly clear about the El Camino football team: The Warriors are only good half of the time.

For the second consecutive week, El Camino allowed an opponent to erase a big first-half deficit and get back into the game.

But like they did the previous week, the Warriors rebounded at the most opportune moment.

Quarterback Jerry Singleton passed to Latario Rachal for two touchdowns and running back Ivan Wilson rushed for two more to lead El Camino past visiting Rancho Santiago, 38-20, Saturday night.

Last week, Riverside erased a 21-point halftime deficit before losing to the Warriors, 46-43.

On Saturday night, El Camino (4-1, 3-1 in Mission Conference play) built a 17-point halftime lead before Rancho Santiago (1-4, 0-4) roared back.

“The positive thing is we won the game,” El Camino Coach John Featherstone said. “But if we continue to play like we did tonight the rest of the way, we won’t win another.

“I don’t know what it is, I wish I knew. We’re still a real spurty team. We can’t seem to settle down on either side of the ball.”

Leading, 24-7, El Camino increased the lead on fullback Rickey Reed’s one-yard run midway through the third quarter.

With 10 minutes to play, Rancho Santiago cut the lead to 31-14, then recovered an on-side kick at midfield. The Dons’ drive stalled on fourth down when Warrior linebacker Nathaniel Muzik stopped Juan Garcia after a three-yard gain.

The Warriors put the game out of reach when Singleton threw a two-yard scoring pass to Rachal with 1 minute 36 seconds to play.

Singleton completed 19 of 24 passes for 308 yards and Wilson carried 14 times for a team-high 130 yards. Tight end Damon Terrell caught nine passes for 130 yards.

El Camino cornerback Shawn Parnell set the tone in a wild first half with a 57-yard interception return for a touchdown on the second play.

Singleton completed 11 of 15 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He completed seven passes to Terrell for 101 yards.

Rancho Santiago tied the score, 7-7, with a 35-yard drive after an El Camino fumble.

The Warriors reclaimed the lead with a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a one-yard run by Wilson.

Tom Dallen’s 28-yard field goal made it 17-7, and El Camino padded the lead late in the half on Singleton’s 28-yard scoring pass to Rachal.