Cougars find end zone, but Hawks soar to win

El Dorado High School varsity football head coach Kevin Placek was pleased with his team’s passing game in Friday’s Sierra Valley Conference game against Liberty Ranch High’s squad. But the host Hawks flew fast and often, which led to a 46-14 win over the Cougars at Hawk Stadium in Galt. El Dorado (1-3 in the SVC, 2-5 overall) scored its first touchdown of the game in the first quarter, after Liberty Ranch (4-0 in the SVC, 7-0) jumped out to a 21-0 lead. Receiving the kickoff after the Hawks scored their third touchdown, the Cougars started their offensive drive at their own 31. Thanks to a personal foul and pass interference penalties called against Liberty Ranch that moved the chains, plus a reverse play in which Cougar wide receiver Hunter Morris gained 10 yards rushing, the drive was completed when quarterback Hunter Rupley found another receiver in Logan Kruse on a 21-yard strike with 1:55. Brendan Franks’ extra-point kick cut the Hawks’ lead to 21-7. “We knew coming into the game we could throw the ball,” said Placek, whose squad had 202 yards in the air and 289 total offensive yards. “We were a little inaccurate earlier in the game.” Liberty Ranch added its final touchdown in the opening quarter with 19.4 seconds left when quarterback Ryan Ogas became part of the scoring parade on a 6-yard run. The kick improved the Hawks’ lead to 28-7. Liberty Ranch and El Dorado traded offensive possessions that led to a combined two punts and two turnovers throughout most of the second quarter. However, the Hawks found the end zone at 1:07 on the clock when Corriea scored his third TD of the game, busting up the middle of his own offensive line and the Cougars’ defensive line and linebackers for an 86-yard score. The extra point missed the uprights, leaving the game 34-7 at halftime. The Hawks’ defense delivered a knockout punch to the Cougars in the early minutes of the third quarter. Rupley threw a pass intended for a receiver but landed in the hands of linebacker Joe Lara. But Liberty Ranch had a lot of work in moving the ball, starting its drive at its own 32. “You can’t give a team that is that good extra possessions,” Placek said. The long wait paid off for the Hawks when Ogas called his own number, kept the ball and went up to the center of the field 37 yards for a touchdown with 5:04 remaining on the clock. The extra point was, again, no good but the Hawks increased their lead to 40-7. “We typically have strong second halves,” said Liberty Ranch head coach Warren Schroeder. “We made some adjustments on both sides of the ball.” El Dorado scored its final touchdown of the game after receiving the kickoff. Running back Tyler Villa took the handoff from Rupley and swept to the right side of his offensive line for a 7-yard touchdown at 1:27. Franks’ extra-point kick was good, now at 40-14. Liberty Ranch found the end zone one last time at 4:52 in the fourth quarter. That is when running back James Rangel carried the rock on an 8-yard run. The extra point was missed. Liberty Ranch wasted no time in scoring against El Dorado in the first quarter of the game. Running a lot of counter plays, the Hawks found the end zone at 10:12 on the clock when running back Andrew Quinn scored one of his two touchdowns in the quarter, this one a 14-yard jaunt. Rangel booted the extra point for a 7-0 score. El Dorado recovered the kickoff return, which was briefly, as the kickoff return specialist fumbled the ball and Liberty Ranch recovered the ball at the Cougar 48-yard line. An 8-play, 48-yard drive ended when running back Wyatt Correia scored on a 9-yard counter play with 6:24 left in the quarter. The extra-point kick gave the Hawks a 14-0 advantage. After El Dorado went three and out on its second offensive drive, the Hawks got the ball back on a punt return. On the third play of its offensive drive, Liberty Ranch reached Cougar territory when Correia took the handoff from Ogas and rocketed 83 yards to the El Dorado 12. Two plays later, Quinn found the end zone again on a 7-yard run with 3:45 left on the clock. The kick made it 21-0. This Friday, El Dorado is back at Cougar Stadium, hosting Rosemont in an SVC game that is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.