Villa Park Defensive in Victory Over Loara

A couple of second-quarter kick returns for touchdowns highlighted Villa Park’s 26-14 victory over Loara in a nonleague game Friday at El Modena High.

First, there was Villa Park’s Bryan Arguello, who went 70 yards with a punt return for a touchdown.

Loara’s Steven Douglas returned the favor on the ensuing kickoff with an 80-yard return for a touchdown.

Other than that, Villa Park won the same way it has been doing it thus far this season: Good defense led by Arguello, with two interceptions, and linebacker Andy Truong, who harassed Loara quarterback Ryan Gusman all evening.

Villa Park improved to 4-0. Loara is 1-3.

Villa Park played grind-’em-out offense, giving running back Ricky Campos 16 carries for 74 yards. Arguello, in addition to his interceptions and punt return for a touchdown, caught five passes from John Henry Jackson for 72 yards.

Jackson broke Sean McMahon’s school passing record of 2,922 yards, set in 1994, when he completed a 36-yard strike to Adam Stayberg in the third quarter.

Jackson, a senior, finished with 111 yards, completing eight of 11 attempts with no interceptions.

Gusman passed 16 times with little success. He completed four passes for 28 yards, but had three attempts intercepted.

Loara’s Rudy Acosta caught two passes for 13 yards.

After Douglas’ kickoff return for a touchdown tied the score at 14-14, Villa Park pulled ahead for good when it scored a safety on a bad snap into the end zone.

Arguello’s 22-yard field goal gave Villa Park a 19-14 lead, and Jonathon Allmond’s three-yard, third-quarter touchdown run put his team out of reach.