El Modena Drops to Third Place

Canyon’s Jermaine Montgomery scored two touchdowns, one on a 106-yard interception return, to give the Comanches their first victory of the season, 23-0, over host El Modena in a Century League game Friday.

El Modena (4-6, 3-2) lost a chance for a share of the league championship with Villa Park and Foothill and will be the league’s third-place representative when the Division V playoff pairings are announced Sunday.

Canyon (1-9, 1-4) scored the only first-half points on a 22-yard field goal by Aram Keuilian with 1 minute 30 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Comanches opened the third quarter with a 57-yard, six-play drive capped by running back Scott Ausmus’ touchdown from seven yards.

Canyon scored on its opening drive of the fourth quarter, going 94 yards in nine plays. Montgomery scored on a 29-yard run around the right end.

The capper for Canyon came with 2:26 left to play, when Montgomery intercepted a Matt Garcia pass deep in the Comanche end zone and returned it down the right sideline for a touchdown.

“I thought I stepped out about the 50,” Montgomery said. “But when I didn’t hear any whistles, I just kept going.”

Montgomery rushed for 145 yards in 17 carries and Ausmus gained 70 yards in 11 carries.

The third-place finish could send El Modena into the first round of the playoffs against second-ranked Santa Margarita, which will probably be seeded No. 1. Last year the Eagles beat El Modena, 51-6, in the first round on their way to the title.