El Dorado Comes Back to Defeat Valencia, 28-16

After trailing twice by a touchdown, El Dorado came back to beat Valencia, 28-16, Friday night at Valencia High School.

El Dorado (3-0) took the lead in the third quarter when defensive back Steve Warfield hit Tiger running back Scott Beason and forced a fumble. Donny Dymond scooped up the ball and went 30 yards for the touchdown and a 21-16 lead.

The Golden Hawks finally sealed it with less than four minutes remaining. Fullback Brandon Fischer hit a wide-open Carlos Rasch on a halfback option that went 51 yards for a touchdown.

The Tigers had tied the score in the third quarter, when Beason went 30 yards on a delayed handoff for a touchdown and a 14-14 tie. The score had been set up by an interception by Scott Olson at the El Dorado 47.

The Tigers then took a 16-14 lead when a snap sailed over El Dorado punter Matt McRae’s head into the end zone. He kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety.

The Golden Hawks, who had yielded only six points in its first two games, gave up a touchdown on the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage. Senior running back Dan Maurin, who gained 84 yards in 14 carries, went 53 yards up the middle to give the Tigers an early 7-0 lead.

El Dorado answered with a 10-play drive that went 80 yards and culminated in 14-yard touchdown run by Fischer.

The drive was keyed by a 22-yard scramble by quarterback Mitch Nord and a 35-yard pass from Nord to junior tight end Aaron Mills.