Sultans, Hawks fall; Hoffman injured in Knights’ win

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 27, 2016

EastCountySports.com staff report

BISHOP’S 43, SANTANA 19 – It was a rugged opening night for the visiting Sultans, who were roughed up by the Bishop’s Knights Friday (Aug. 26) in a season opener for both teams.

Junior quarterback JOSH OEDEWALDT made his varsity debut against the Knights, completing 16 of 28 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns, including one to ANDERS TOLHURST and another to BROCK ELLIS, of 19 yards that made it 7-6 Knights.

Wide receiver Anders Tolhurst led a bevy of Sultan receivers by reeling in 5 receptions for 35 yards. He also had a 69-yard kickoff return for 104 yards total offense.

Senior BROCK ELLIS pulled in 4 passes for 60 yards.

The ground game was directed by senior BOBBY WALLACE, who piled up 72 yards on 15 carries.

On the defensive side, DOMENIC DEHOYOS topped the Sultans with 4 tackles.

On Santana’s opening drive, Oodewaldt fired a deep pass that found his receiver but bounced straight into the arms of the Knights’ Garth Erdossy.

Jeffrey Jackson completed a 20-yard pass to Jacob Jackson to open the scoring.

Mozes Mooney scored three touchdowns for Bishop’s, including one on a 60-yard interception return.

Santana meets rival West Hills for The Mayor’s Cup next Friday night.

CRAWFORD 12, MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 6 – A year ago, the Mountain Empire Red Hawks were blown out by Crawford 31-0 in a non-league game in Pine Valley.

This year’s renewal was not anything close.

The Red Hawks took a first quarter lead on a pair of field goals by WYATT AQUILAR of 38 and 34 yards.

After that Mountain Empire’s offense stalled and Crawford squeezed out a couple of touchdowns in the middle quarter to leave town with a narrow escape.

“We had plenty of opportunities to win this game, but we didn’t,” stated Red Hawks assistant coach DON ROLLINS.

With two and a half minutes remaining WYATT MANN ran a punt back for a 57-yard touchdown for Mountain Empire that was called back for a block in the back.

“Crawford held the ball for the rest of the game,” Rollins noted.

— Bill Dickens

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 42, CHRISTIAN LIFE ACADEMY 6 – The Foothills Christian Knights won in the scorebook but suffered a loss in the first drive of the game when veteran quarterback DANIEL HOFFMAN went down with a probable torn ACL.

ELI HALE and STEVEN LEONCINI stepped in to throw a touchdown apiece. Hale tossed a 21 yard scoring pass to JADON BANKHEAD in the third quarter.

Leoncini connected with NICK PUPA in the fourth quarter for another TD.

CALEB TARVER stepped in for Hoffman and rushed for the first three touchdowns for Foothills Christian, once in the first quarter and twice in the second. He finished with 128 yards on 14 carries.

JOSH GATES scored for the Knights on a 34 yard run in final stanza. HUNTER NICKELL scored 2 points on a conversion pass as did GARRETT BANKHEAD earlier in the game.