Canyon Stuns El Modena With Late Touchdown

Canyon’s Marc Rodriguez scored on a 68-yard touchdown pass with 1 minute 16 seconds remaining to give the Comanches a 25-18 victory over El Modena in a Century League game Thursday at El Modena High.

The victory moves Canyon (3-5-1, 2-1-1) into sole possession of third place.

El Modena (4-4-1, 1-2-1), which drops into a fourth-place tie with Santa Ana Valley, had a chance to run out the clock while leading, 18-17, but Tony Calderon’s pass on third-and-one at the Comanches’ 35 fell incomplete. El Modena’s Josh Raphael shanked a punt three yards and Canyon took over at its 32 with 1:27 remaining.

On the next play, Canyon sophomore quarterback Jerod Bauer dropped back and hit Rodriguez streaking down the right sideline.

El Modena had just over a minute left to mount a drive, but on the first play, James Dummitt fumbled following a reception and Canyon’s Robert Miller recovered at the Vanguards’ 44.

The Comanches led, 17-6, at the end of three quarters, but let the lead slip away in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.

On the first play of the final quarter, Calderon hit Kevin Dykes with a 52-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 17-12.

The Comanches, who had given up a touchdown earlier in the game after Bauer couldn’t handle a bad snap out of the shotgun and it was recovered in the end zone by El Modena, had another long snap get away on the next possession. Bauer was able to jump on the ball at the three, but the play cost Canyon 17 yards.

El Modena took possession at Canyon’s 49 with 9:10 remaining, and six plays later, Calderon ran around the left side for a 10-yard touchdown and a one-point lead.