High School Football: Brethren Christian rolls

Last week, the Brethren Christian High football team finished off a hard-fought victory by draining the final 14 seconds off the clock and taking a safety.

On Friday night, the clock was hardly an issue as the host Warriors scored on all nine possessions to claim a 60-6 nonleague win over Victorville Excelsior Charter at Ocean View High.

Brethren Christian (6-1), ranked No. 8 in CIF Southern Section Division 10, averaged just 3.8 plays and 93 seconds on its scoring possessions, slicing through the overmatched visitors on the ground and through the air.

Three times, Brethren Christian needed just one play to find the end zone, while also producing scoring sequences of two plays and four plays (three times). The Warriors longest scoring march (seven plays late in the third quarter) came after a would-be 55-yard punt return for a touchdown was nullified by a penalty.

“You can’t argue with execution,” said Brethren Christian Coach Pat McInally, whose team is averaging 51.3 points in its six victories.

McInally said Friday’s game was the first time he had his complete lineup available, as starting guard Jose Ortega made his season debut. In addition, senior receiver Jason Fuga, a four-year starter who played for the first time last week, is back at full speed, McInally said.

Senior running back Jordan Leonard amassed 203 rushing yards on just 10 attempts and gashed the Eagles (3-3) for scoring runs of 45, 45, 42 and 32 yards.

Senior quarterback Joey Gutierrez collected 200 passing yards. He completed 11 of 13 passes, three of which went for touchdowns. He hooked up with Joshua Gorrell on a 61-yard touchdown bomb that gave the Warriors a 26-0 lead.

It was 33-0 at halftime, when Leonard had 141 rushing yards on eight carries.

Gutierrez, who was replaced early in the third quarter, completed eight of 10 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns before intermission.

Backup running backs Levon Lester and Raimon Sagastume also got in on the parade to the end zone, popping for touchdown runs of 40 and 56 yards, respectively.

A running clock and a 17-play drive that ended with a one-yard quarterback sneak on the final play of the game, prevented the Warriors offense from doing any further damage.

Defensively, the hosts held the Eagles to 139 total yards, including 138 on 46 running plays. Excelsior had just four plays that earned double-figure yards, none more than 17.

Until its scoring drive, Excelsior’s deepest penetration was the Brethren Christian 39-yard line. The Eagles used their three timeouts in the final minute to extend the game, just enough, it turns out, to find the end zone on the final play.

Freelance

Brethren Christian 60, Excelsior Christian 6

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Excelsior 0 – 0 – 0 – 6 – 6

Brethren Chr. 20 – 13 – 27 – 0 – 60

FIRST QUARTER

BC – Leonard 32 run (pass failed), 9:54.

BC – Fuga 5 pass from Gutierrez (Cazales kick), 4:28.

BC – Leonard 42 run (Cazales kick), 1:18.

SECOND QUARTER

BC – Gorrell 61 pass from Gutierrez (kick blocked), 5:52.

BC – Leonard 45 run (Cazales kick), 2:09.

THIRD QUARTER

BC – N. Sagastume 8 pass from Gutierrez (Cazales kick), 10:38.

BC – Leonard 45 run (Cazales kick), 9:03.

BC – Lester 40 run (Cazales kick), 3:20.

BC – R. Sagastume 56 run (kick failed), 0:13.

FOURTH QUARTER

Exc – Ponder 1 run (no try), 0:00.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Exc – Sato, 15-68.

BC – Leonard, 10-203, 4 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Exc – Ponder, 2-4-0, 1.

BC – Gutierrez, 11-13-0, 200, 3 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Exc – Cosbey 1-1.

BC – Nash, 4-58; N. Sagastume, 4-53, 1 TD; Gorrell, 2-76, 1 TD.