Warhawks pull rank on Vaqueros at Brothers in Arms

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 29, 2015

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EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO – El Capitan and Madison made for a stellar top-10 matchup in the season-opener as part of the Brothers in Arms Classic games at Cathedral Catholic High’s Manchester Stadium Friday night.

And after a hard-hitting first quarter that saw a couple of offenses just trying to get their feet wet to open the new season, it was the Warhawks that eventually made a splash, taking full command in a 35-point second quarter en route to a 44-7 victory over the Vaqueros.

Madison fumbled on its first possession and the Vaqueros’ CHANCE COLSON recovered, but moments later, Madison got the ball back on a strip and recovered at their own 39.

After El Capitan was pinned back near its own goal line, quarterback PHOENIX CATES made something out of nothing to scramble for a first, but following another sack, Madison got a safety, chasing Cates back 10 years into end zone.

El Capitan forced Madison to punt following the free kick, then Cates scrambles again for a first on a third-and-long, this time to get El Cap out to its own 43 late in the first.

Madison then made a first-down run out near midfield, then capitalized on a TD reception on a deep pass, as Brandon Lewis scored for the Warhawks on a beautifully thrown deep ball down the middle form quarterback Terrell Carter to the open receiver.

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Madison’s Brandon Lewis scores a touchdown Friday at Manchester Stadium.

The Vaqueros appeared ready to trade scoring punches with the Warhawks, as Cates hit AUSTIN FINCH on slant to the right, and he got away quickly down the middle of the field for an 81-yard score with 9:06 remaining in the first half. Madison led, 9-7.

However, Shaheed Maydun had a 99-yard kick-off return for a Madison TD. Maydun quickly got to the right sideline and outsprinted the EC special teams to the end zone.

A sack forced El Cap to punt from deep in its own end after three-and-out, and Raydun then turned in a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown for the Warhawks with 6:26 left in first half, making it 23-7 Madison.

A sack on third down sack had El Cap punting from the goal line again and a 13-yard punt set up a very short field.

Madison got a first down rush, but then got a break for when a backwards pass attempt was recovered by El Cap, but officials ruled intentional grounding to avoid a sack.

Madison’s Lewis later scored on an 11-yard slant pass from Carter following a personal foul penalty on the Vaqueros.

Bryson Collins and an interception for Madison and a short return to the 9, where the Warhawks rushed up the middle for a TD run of 9 yards by Erick Buchanan on next play to make it 39-7.

Cates was 9-for-18 passing for 123 yards.

El Capitan’s STEVEN HOSAKA, a junior, had five rushes for 59 yards and a pair of catches for 11 yards.

JAVIER VIDALEZ, a junior, had four catches for 19 yards for the Vaqueros.