El Modena Scores With No Time Left to Beat Villa Park

ORANGE — Matt Garcia found Kevin Dykes open in the end zone for a six-yard touchdown with no time left on the clock to give El Modena a 13-10 victory over Villa Park in a Century League game Friday night at El Modena High.

Garcia had connected with Dykes for a seven-yard gain that set up the Vanguards at the Villa Park six-yard line. Although the game clock had expired, officials ruled that it should have been stopped to move the down markers and awarded the Vanguards (4-5, 3-1) one more play.

“We had to step it up and see what we were made of,” Garcia said of the last drive. “We wanted it more than they did.”

The pass capped a 12-play drive that began at the Warrior 13-yard line with 3:42 remaining in the game. Keying the drive was a halfback option play when Jerome Anderson hit a wide open Mike Walters for a 33-yard gain to the Warrior 25-yard line.

After El Modena had dominated in time of possession for much of the game while managing only a 7-0 lead, Villa Park (5-3-1, 3-1) took advantage of two Vanguard turnovers and took a 10-7 lead with 7:17 left in the game.

Garcia fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter and the ball was recovered by Nick Buscigio, who returned it to the Vanguard 34-yard line. Two plays later, Ryan Wann went up the middle for a 20-yard touchdown run to give Villa Park a 10-7 lead.