Holtville stops Red Hawks; Knights defeat L.A. visitor

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 15, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

HOLTVILLE 41, MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 17

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

PINE VALLEY – The Mountain Empire Red Hawks opened their league season at home against Holtville, but came up short in a 41-17 loss.

The Red Hawks tried to take advantage of a Holtville defense spying on the Mountain Empire prolific passing game, and that allowed the Hawks’ run game to finally get on track a bit, but it proved frugal.

Quarterback VICTOR PARRA, a senior, was 10-of-21 from the air for 119 yards for Mountain Empire.

MICHAEL STODSGILL, a senior, rushed for 74 yards on 15 carries for the Red Hawks. He also added three receptions for 31 yards.

Stodsgill caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Parra, then sophomore DALLAS PRINCE had a 19-yard touchdown run and suddenly, Mountain Empire trailed just 21-17.

But Holtville got out of a third-and-long, turning a busted play into an 80-yard scramble for a touchdown, taking the wind out of the Red Hawks’ rally.

Red Hawks’ defensive star BLAKE JARRELL had 18 tackles, including 13 solo stops.

Mountain Empire finds themselves with their backs to the playoff wall a little bit in Division 4, as they face Calipatria next week.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 48, JORDAN 32

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA – Senior CALEB TARVER had a career-night, leading Foothills Christian to a 48-32 win over visiting Jordan High, of Los Angeles, in an 8-man nonleague contest at Seau Field Friday night.

The Knights continued their outstanding season and are right in the thick of receiving a top-four seed in the SDSCIF 8-man playoffs next month.

Foothills Christian (7-1) opened the scoring with 8 minutes to go in the first when Tarver rushed in for a TD, making it 6-0. A two-point try failed.

Jordan (3-3) returned the ensuing kick for a touchdown to tie the game.

Early in the second, JOSH GATE had a rushing TD for a 12-6 lead, followed by another failed conversion.

Tarver scored his second TD of the game with seven minutes left in the second quarter for an 18-6 lead. The Knights once again failed to convert a two-point try.

Jordan scored a TD with two minutes left in the first half to make it 18-12 Knights. Jordan missed another two-pointer, as well.

But Foothills Christian would respond late in the 2nd Quarter with under a minute remaining, as ELI HALE threw a pass completion to GARRETT BANKHEAD for a TD. The pair also hooked up on the conversion, finally, giving Foothills Christian a 26-12 lead at halftime.

Jordan scored in the 3rd Quarter with 9 minutes to go on a rushing TD, as it was 26-20, pulling the Bulldogs within a score.

Then with seven minutes left in the third, Hale had a pass completion to Tarver for a TD. Josh Gate rushed for a 2-point conversion, extending the lead to 34-20.

Just a minute later, Gate hit the end zone again with a rushing TD, then ran in the conversion to make it 42-20.

Jordan added another score with eight minutes left in the game, but the two-point conversion try, failed, leaving them down 42-26.

With just over a minute left, a completed pass to Bankhead went for a TD, making it 48-26. Jordan added a touchdown in the final minute.

Tarver rushed for 140 yards on 10 carries and caught three passes for 49 yards. He also led the busy Knights with 11 tackles, including a team-high three for loss and he forced a fumble.

Senior NOAH OLIVER had three sacks for Foothills Christian.