Western Revs Up, Rolls to Easy Win

Scoring on six of its first seven possessions and moving the ball at will before summoning the reserves, Western rolled past Buena Park, 42-3, Friday night in a first-round Division IX playoff game at Handel Stadium.

Quarterback Michael Hicks threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for two more, and junior running back Rodney Eason also scored twice for the top-seeded Pioneers (10-1), who have outscored opponents, 477-177.

Western, which faces Covina in the second round, scored the first five times it had the ball, gained 284 yards, and led at the half, 35-3.

Buena Park struck first, parlaying Evan Lopez’s 30-yard kickoff return and his 53-yard run from scrimmage into Guillermo Montona’s 27-yard field goal.

The Pioneers then mounted a seven-play, 45-yard drive capped by Hicks’ one-yard run. Eason’s 29-yard scoring run gave the Pioneers a 14-3 advantage before Hicks scored again on Western’s next possession.

Hicks connected with Kyle Stanley on a 29-yard touchdown pass, then hit David Gober from eight yards out with 3:20 remaining in the first half.

Western opened the second half with a seven-play, 61-yard drive culminating in Eason’s five-yard scoring run. Pioneer Coach Toby Howell played his reserves from that point.

Hicks completed eight of 12 passes for 143 yards and rushed five times for 54 yards. Stanley caught five passes for 117 yards, and Eason rushed for 81 yards. Chris Jackson carried six times for 63 yards.

Lopez led Buena Park (6-5) with 131 return yards and a game-high 104 yards rushing. The junior tailback also completed two of three passes for 39 yards.