Martinez Gets Kicks for Katella

Juan Martinez came up with the big kick again this week, connecting on a 20-yard field goal with no time left to give Katella an 18-16 victory over El Dorado Friday in Empire League play at Valencia High. Last week, Martinez kicked a 38-yarder for a 10-10 tie with Loara.

Chris Haller of Katella hit Brandon Jordan with a four-yard fourth-down pass to keep the final scoring drive alive with 30 seconds left. Then Haller connected on a 28-yard pass play to Bob Nita to the three-yard line with 19 seconds left.

Following a dismal first half, during which neither team scored, only 144 yards were gained in total offense and 125 yards were assessed in penalties, Katella found the end zone first with a 54-yard run down the left side line by Francis Johnson.

El Dorado (4-3, 1-1 in league) got a break midway through the fourth quarter when the center snap sailed over the head of punter Martinez and was grabbed by Russ Lesko, who took it to the Knights’ three. Two plays later, Tim Fairfield scored from the one, and Mitch Nord hit Jason Vermiler with the two-point conversion to give the Golden Hawks an 8-7 lead with 6:42 remaining.

Johnson gave the Knights (4-2-1, 1-0-1) the lead right back with an 85-yard kickoff return. Haller hit Jordan for the two-point conversion and a 15-8 lead.

El Dorado moved to within 15-14 with 3:31 left when Byron Davis scored on a 54-yard pass play from Nord. The Golden Hawks went for the lead, and Nord scrambled before finding Fairfield open for a pass and a 16-15 advantage.

“We were both going for the win,” Katella Coach Dominik Unger said. “We beat a very good team.”

In another Empire League game:

Kennedy 3, Loara 0--On his second try, Alex Vazquez kicked a 42-yard field goal in the final five minutes for Kennedy (5-2, 1-1).

Loara (2-4-1, 0-1-1) blocked Vazquez’s first attempt but was called for being offsides.

Loara outgained Kennedy, 242-109, but the Saxons turned the ball over five times.

Jeremy Ellis completed 13 of 27 passes for 134 yards for Loara.