No. 3 Esperanza Halts El Dorado

Esperanza’s rout of the week was a doozy Friday night.

It was El Dorado’s turn to feel the Aztecs’ wrath this time around, and the Empire League game was every bit as lopsided as the 42-0 final score indicates.

A homecoming crowd of 4,000 at Valencia High watched third-ranked Esperanza (9-1, 4-1 in league play) clinch second place with a relentless rushing game and a rock-solid defense. Eighth-ranked El Dorado (8-2, 3-2) finishes third.

Each team qualified for the Southern Section Division II playoffs, which begin next week. Pairings will be announced Sunday.

The Aztecs were sluggish at times, but it hardly seemed to matter by game’s end. The results on the scoreboard were all that mattered to Esperanza Coach Gary Meek.

And while we’re on the subject of numbers:

--Esperanza gained 418 yards rushing to El Dorado’s minus 6.

--It was the Aztecs’ seventh shutout this season.

--It also was their 36th victory in the past 38 games. Their only losses have been to Los Alamitos.

Friday’s victory might have been sloppier than many past victories. But no matter the setbacks, El Dorado couldn’t capitalize on Esperanza’s mistakes.

A fumble on Esperanza’s first play from scrimmage was a case in point. Recovering the ball at the Esperanza 14-yard line, El Dorado could have taken it in for a quick touchdown.

But a pass from quarterback Jim Beck fell incomplete on first down. Running back Alex Molnar was then hammered for a nine-yard loss on second down. A screen pass on third down lost nine more yards and suddenly the Hawks faced a fourth-and-25 at the 29.

Molnar’s 47-yard field goal attempt was short and wide to the left.

Things started to get ugly shortly thereafter.

By halftime, Esperanza led, 28-0, and was headed for second place.

“We wanted to make sure we got second place because we didn’t want to have to play a league champion in the first round (of the playoffs),” Meek said.

Thanks to Esperanza’s suffocating defense, El Dorado’s first half was truly miserable.

When Beck dropped to pass, Aztec lineman Travis Kirschke was always in his face, or on his back. When the Hawks tried to run, Kirschke was there to snuff that, too.

The halftime statistics told the story. Esperanza passed for 61 yards and ran for an amazing 223 more. El Dorado scratched out five yards passing and five running.

Esperanza scored its first half touchdowns on a one-yard dive by Tom Joyner, quarterback draws of 15 and 20 yards by Jon Aed, and a 12-yard run around right end by Dahrin Footman. In the second half, Joyner added a four-yard touchdown run and reserve running back Eric Mason ran 39 yards for the final touchdown.

Other than the possession that produced the failed field goal attempt, El Dorado did not come close to scoring.

Asked if this was as dominating as Esperanza had played this season, Meek deadpanned:

“Probably.”

After all, he’s used to such shows of strength.