Estancia Cools Down Buena Park With a 29-7 Victory

Buena Park’s elation at breaking an 11-game losing streak last weekend ended Saturday night as Estancia rolled over the Coyotes, 29-7, in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor High.

Running back Brian McDonald sparked Buena Park (1-1) with a 45-yard touchdown run as time ran out in the first quarter, giving the Coyotes a 7-0 lead.

Estancia (2-0), however, quickly cooled the Coyotes as the Eagles scored on their next three possessions.

Senior Chris Felix got Estancia rolling with a 57-yard kickoff return, giving the Eagles the ball on Buena Park’s 28. Four plays later, Felix finished off what he began with a 17-yard touchdown run with 10:25 left in the half. It was obvious things would go Estancia’s way, when on the extra-point attempt the holder fumbled the snap. Kicker Chris Mokede picked up the ball and pounded through the middle into the end zone, but fumbled the ball. An Estancia lineman fell on it for the two-point conversion.

On Buena Park’s next possession, quarterback Ruben Gasso was sacked and fumbled the ball, which defensive end John Liebengood recovered on the 15-yard line. Four plays later, on fourth and two at the Coyote eight-yard line, James Dawkins took the pitch from quarterback Jeff Perry and ran it in for a 15-7 Eagle lead.

Estancia picked up its final score of the half with 5:13 remaining, on a 52-yard run by senior Taleni Tanielu, putting Estancia ahead, 22-7, at the half.

The Eagles waited until their final possession of the game to score again, when Dawkins took the ball 24 yards for the touchdown. After a penalty Mokede nailed a 35-yard extra-point attempt.

McDonald finished with a game-high 160 yards in 20 carries for Buena Park. Dawkins led the Eagles with 92 yards in 16 carries and two touchdowns.