El Modena quarterback Ethan Sorenson evades the pressure as he is rushed by Trabuco Hills defensive end Zachary Taylor (55) during the second quarter of Friday night’s showdown at Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).
Before Friday’s non-league football game between El Modena and Trabuco Hills both coaches, Matt Mitchell and Mark Nolan, emphasized it was imperative that their teams play a complete game to earn a victory.
In the end, both coaches indicated their teams had played a complete game but El Modena’s placekicker Alejandro Teran Martinez kicked a 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to propel the Vanguards to a 20-17 victory at Fred Kelly Stadium.
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“I was a little nervous before I kicked it; they called time out and then there was a defensive penalty, but I remembered to focus, line it up and stick it,“ said Teran Martinez, a junior. “I think it’s a play I’ll remember the rest of my life.”
The Mustangs (3-2) lateraled the ball six times on the ensuing kickoff as time ran out, but Vanguards defenders were able to smother the return and secure the win.
It marked the third consecutive season El Modena has defeated the Mustangs. Friday’s win also upped the Vanguards record to 5-0, the first time they have been 5-0 in a regular season since the 2022 season when they finished the regular season at 10-0.
“Anytime you kick a field goal to win a game with five seconds to go, you’ve played a complete game,” said Mitchell.
Trabuco Hills tied the score at 17-17 following a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jackson Verplancke to Beckham Nolan with 6:56 to play.
El Modena took possession and methodically rushed the ball 12 consecutive times, including Ethan Sorenson’s fourth-down quarterback sneak for a first down.
The Vanguards moved down to the Trabuco Hills 20 yard line. Teran Martinez then came on to attempt a field goal and actually booted a 37-yard field, but the Mustangs called time out before the kick. Before his next attempt, Trabuco Hills was penalized five yards, setting up Teran Martinez’s game-winner.
“When we got in the huddle to start to the final drive on the 28-yard line, I said to the team, ‘Let’s do this,’” said, Sorenson, who rushed for 69 yards on 18 carries and completed eight passes for 86 yard in the game.
Vanguards offensive lineman Immanuel Jackett said the team was ready for the moment.
“We all knew we had to get going on the last drive, score, and win the game; we grinded it out,” said Jackett.
Late in the first quarter, El Modena broke on top 7-0. The Vanguards marched 65 yards in 11 plays, capped off by running back Nathan DeLaVega’s 10-yard touchdown run.
El Modena ran the ball on nine of 11 plays on the drive, powered behind the blocking of Gavin Spargur, Robert Rocha, Aiden Macias, Jackett, and Lucas Garcia.
El Modena extended its lead to 10-0 on a scoring drive that began late in the opening quarter and carried over to the second quarter. The Vanguards drove to the Mustangs 17 before Teran Martinez kicked a 34-yard field goal.
On the following possession, Trabuco Hills countered with their own long scoring drive, cutting the score to 10-7. Nate Davis capped off the Mustangs 10-play, 76-yard drive with a 4-yard TD run with 6:34 remaining in the half.
El Modena immediately responded by driving to the Trabuco Hills 27-yard line. On a fourth-down play, Sorenson completed a pass to Thomas Sheehan over the middle. Sheehan made the catch around the 5-yard line and was on the verge of scoring when he was hit by multiple defenders. The ball was jarred loose and the Mustangs recovered the pigskin in the end zone and took over possession.
The Vanguards out-gained the Mustangs in the opening half 191-112.
Trabuco Hills converted a Vanguards turnover early in the third quarter and tied the score at 10-10 on a Owen Bailey 24-yard field goal.
Sorenson gave El Modena a 17-10 lead when he scored on a 1-yard run with 11:38 remaining in the game and setting up a wild finish.
The Vanguards suffered a tough loss when DeLaVega went down with what appeared a knee injury with 7:11 left in the third quarter. DeLaVega was carted off the field after a short delay and taken for treatment. His status is unknown.
DeLaVega rushed for 108 yards on 11 carries and scored a touchdown in the game. El Modena rushed for 267 yards in the game.
“They made on more play than we did,” said Trabuco Hills Coach Mark Nolan. “I’m proud of the way our guys played. We played a tough four quarters and we’re ready for league play now.”
Verplancke passed for 117 yards and a touchdown and Luke Hoffman rushed for 52 yards to lead the Mustangs.
Trabuco Hills opens its Epsilon League schedule next week with a home game against Brea Olinda. The Vanguards travel to Huntington Beach to open their Delta League schedule next Friday.
Moment of silence
A Moment of Silence was observed before Friday’s game to pay tribute to legendary El Modena football coach Bob Lester. Coach Lester passed away last week at the age of 96. He was the first football coach at El Modena High in 1966 and amassed an overall record of 218-86-10 before retiring in 1986. His teams won three CIF championships and were runner-ups twice.
Lester was inducted into he El Modena High Hall of Fame in 2005 and also inducted into the CIF Hall of Fame in 2014. Coach Lester proudly served in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Korean War. He also received a Purple Heart during his military service.
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