El Dorado Holds Off Loara Despite Miscues and Penalties

With at least a share of the Empire League title at stake, if not the league’s top seeding in the Southern Section Division V playoffs, it was surprising that Loara and El Dorado weren’t at their best Friday night at Glover Stadium.

El Dorado (8-2, 4-1) held on to win, 21-13.

But Kennedy (7-3, 4-1), having defeated El Dorado last week, won the tiebreaker and will represent the league as its top-seeded team after its 21-8 victory over Century also Friday.

El Dorado gave up four first downs to Loara (6-4, 3-2) on major penalties. Loara surrendered an 89-yard touchdown run on the opening kickoff and fumbled three times, one of which led to the decisive touchdown.

The game was marred by bobbles, overthrown passes, missed assignments and mental errors.

El Dorado Coach Rick Jones said he’d take a share of the title no matter what the circumstances. “I think both teams had a lot to do with [the way the game was played],” Jones said. “It was a battle and we both got after each other. We didn’t do it all right, but we hung in there and I’m extremely proud of that.”

El Dorado’s defense held Loara to 103 yards rushing. El Dorado forced Loara quarterback Michael Morales to fumble at his 15-yard line on the fourth play of the fourth quarter. Defensive end John O’Connor picked up the ball and ran it toward the end zone. He was hit at the one by two Saxons and fumbled. Mike Curtis fell on the ball in the end zone for a 21-7 lead.

Loara went 80 yards in nine plays, aided by a 15-yard pass-interference penalty Morales scored from the two-yard line on fourth down with 5:57 left to play and the Saxons went for two. But Morales fumbled.

El Dorado’s Donny Dymond went 89 yards on the opening kick off.

“When they run an 89-yard kickoff back on you, you get out of it in a hurry,” Loara Coach John deFries said.

Golden Hawk quarterback Mitch Nord fumbled at his 49 with 5:43 remaining and Loara’s Aaron Oilero recovered at the 43.

Loara was called for illegal procedure before it could snap the ball. Then Dymond was called for pass interference on Morales’ pass attempt to Joey Ellis, giving the Saxons a first down at the El Dorado 33. Morales passed 13 yards to Ellis and running back Khemarak Tor gained 11 yards to the Golden Hawk nine-yard line.

Two plays later Morales passed to flanker Oswaldo Ochoa for a touchdown.

On the ensuing possession, Nord capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive with an eight-yard scoring pass to Aaron Mills with 38 seconds left to regain the lead before halftime, 14-7.