ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / PREP EXTRA : DIVISION V : Bell’s Touchdown Late in Game Gives Villa Park 23-20 Victory
Chris Bell scored from three yards with 1 minute 32 seconds left to lead Villa Park to a 23-20 victory over El Dorado in a Southern Section Division V playoff game Friday night.
Villa Park moves to the second round to play El Toro, a 24-14 winner over Savanna.
Bell rushed for 165 yards in 24 carries to help the Spartans (8-3) overcome a 14-point, first-quarter deficit. He also scored on a 33-yard run in the second quarter.
El Dorado (7-4) had several chances to put away Villa Park but was unable to because of fourth-quarter turnovers. The Golden Hawks fumbled on their last three possessions.
The costliest one came with 3:20 left when David Myers fumbled at his 21-yard line. Paul Neilson recovered for Villa Park and four plays later, Bell went over left tackle from three yards for the winning score.
El Dorado took a 14-0 lead with two touchdown runs by Myers in the game’s first nine minutes. Villa Park answered with a 22-yard scoring pass from Sam Stremick to Chuck Reid with nine seconds left in the first quarter.
El Dorado took a 20-7 lead with 8:01 left in the first half when Myers scored on a 10-yard run, but the extra-point kick failed. Bell’s 33-yard run with 5:07 left in the half made it 20-14.
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