El Toro Scores Early, Then Hangs On to Top Villa Park

Sam Moore rushed 16 times for 109 yards to lead El Toro to a 27-20 nonleague victory over Villa Park Friday night at El Modena High.

Moore’s three-yard run on the Chargers’ opening drive gave El Toro (1-1) a lead it would hold the rest of the way, despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback try by Villa Park (0-1-1).

Matt Jackson’s five-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Grace with 53 seconds left in the game cut the Chargers lead to 27-20. Villa Park tried an onside kick, but it went out of bounds and El Toro was able to run out the clock.

El Toro jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first 13 minutes of the game. Moore’s touchdown run with 8:33 left in the first quarter made it 7-0.

Villa Park was forced to punt on its next possession and Darron Ohlwiler returned Matt Jackson’s punt 85 yards for a 14-0 lead with 5:46 left in the first quarter.

Mike Strand’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Brian Bumiller with 11:50 left in the second quarter gave El Toro a 20-0 lead after the point-after attempt failed.

The Spartans got on the board just before the half when Jackson hit Josh Harnett with a four-yard scoring pass with 36 seconds left in the half.

A 24-yard touchdown pass from Strand to Larry Johnson midway through the third quarter made it 27-7 El Toro before Dache Dameron’s 16-yard run early in the fourth pulled Villa Park to within 13.

El Toro survived several penalties, especially in the first half, when the Chargers were flagged 10 times for 89 yards.