Wilson Runs All Over Villa Park in El Modena’s Victory

There was no secret to El Modena’s 21-13 victory over Villa Park Friday night. The Vanguards’ offensive line blocked and Ernie Wilson ran around the few defenders left standing.

Wilson rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns in 22 carries, which was about all the offense El Modena needed to clinch a spot in the Southern Section Division IV playoffs.

With one regular-season game left, El Modena is 6-3, 3-1 in Century League play. The loss knocked Villa Park (4-4-1, 1-2-1) out of playoff contention.

Right from the start, El Modena showed it could run over Villa Park. Wilson’s 18-yard gain on the first play of the game set the tone. El Modena scored on its first two possessions as Wilson ran for 25- and six-yard touchdowns in the first half.

“I thought the key was our guys came out and got on the scoreboard in the first half,” El Modena Coach Bill Backstrom said. “That’s a big change for us.”

He was referring to last week’s 14-13 loss to league-leading Orange. The Vanguards fell behind the Panthers, 14-0, before making a late rally.

“I thought we were moving the ball well against Orange, but it was unfortunate that a great comeback fell short,” Backstrom said.

There were no frantic, last-minute drives Friday.

After Wilson’s touchdown runs, El Modena seemed comfortably in control. The Vanguards’ defense then took over, holding Villa Park’s explosive backfield in check. And that was a relief for Backstrom.

“They have some talented people in their backfield,” he said. “It’s kind of like standing on thin ice.”

Villa Park had a its share of chances, but El Modena’s defense often seemed to come up with a key tackle for little or no again.

After trailing, 14-0, at halftime, Villa Park drove 70 yards on its first possession of the third quarter to score on a 14-yard pass play from quarterback A.J. Strapp to split end Hector Flores.

El Modena answered with an 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 32-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Matt Mitchell to receiver Mike Seltzer.

After catching a 20-yard pass over the middle, Seltzer appeared to be headed for the turf, but he spun out of the grasp of a Villa Park tackler and kept his legs driving toward the end zone. When the Spartans finally knocked him down, Seltzer had crossed the goal line.

Down, 21-7, Villa Park came right back, but four runs into the line from inside the three-yard line ended in failure. Then, after El Modena took over on downs at its one-yard line, Villa Park recovered a Vanguard fumble at the three.

Running back Grant Pearsall scored on a one-yard run a moment later and Villa Park was within 21-13 with 5:38 left.