Villa Park’s Ground Game Runs Over El Modena, 30-9

ORANGE — Villa Park’s Grant Pearsall led a potent ground game that ran over El Modena to score a 30-9 Century League victory Friday night at El Modena.

Pearsall rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns in 31 carries and added 42 return yards. Pearsall’s effort led a Spartan ground game that amassed 19 first downs and 254 yards rushing.

The victory gave Villa Park (5-3, 2-1 in league) an inside track for a postseason playoff spot. The Vanguards (5-3, 1-2) have little room for error if they want to stay in the postseason picture.

Villa Park took control early. The Spartans took a 16-0 first-quarter lead, as El Modena was able to run only two offensive plays.

Pearsall’s 35-yard return on the game’s opening kickoff started a 63-yard drive, climaxed by quarterback Sean McMahon’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Sean Adams. Matt Brady kicked his first of four conversions for a 7-0 lead.

Jerome Barnes intercepted El Modena quarterback Matt Mitchell’s pass and returned it 39 yards to the Vanguard eight. Villa Park lost a fumble on the El Modena one, but El Modena’s Jeremy Rex was dropped in the end zone for a safety.

El Modena took the free kick and marched 41 yards, and Pearsall scored from the one. In the second quarter, Pearsall’s four-yard run climaxed a 71-yard drive for a 23-3 halftime lead.