Bottiaux’s Defensive Play Helps Canyon Get the Best of Orange

Paul Bottiaux, who intercepted a pass in the end zone earlier in the fourth quarter, broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone with 1 minute 29 seconds remaining in the Century League game to preserve Canyon’s 7-2 victory over Orange on Friday night.

Orange (2-4, 0-1), held in check for most of the contest, took the ball on its 35 with 6:18 left in the game. Orange progressed to the Canyon 12 but a pair of penalties move the Panthers back 10 yards. Scott Spence broke up Raul Vital’s first pass but a 13-yard run by Jeff Williams behind the blocking of Lon Koontz and Greg Overton moved the Panthers to the nine.

An incomplete pass set up the Bottiaux’s crucial fourth-down play with 1:29 left.

Canyon (5-0-1, 1-0) scored the game’s only touchdown early in the second quarter on a one-yard run by quarterback Adam Hoover. Casey Wilson’s conversion gave the Comanches a 7-0 lead. A successful run on fourth down by Jerrick Harper preserved the drive.

Jerry Arguello’s punt to the Canyon three set up the Orange safety. Ben Yimlamai tackled Joel Reese on two successive plays, the second in the end zone, for the two points.

Wilson got Canyon out of trouble with an 80-yard free kick.