ELAC Football loses Cantu and game





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ELAC Football loses Cantu and game


CN/Lindsey Maeda

By William Hernandez

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www.elaccampusnews.com

The Huskies lost their second consecutive game, to Southwestern College 35-26, playing most of the game without quarterback Aaron Cantu who left due to an injury, last Saturday at Weingart Stadium.ELAC lost Cantu in the second quarter when he hit the ground awkwardly on a quarterback scramble.According to ELAC’s Athletic Trainer Diane Stankevitz, Cantu suffered a small shoulder separation. For that reason he did not play during the second half.ELAC was the first on the board when Cantu sneaked into the end zone at the goal line and followed the missed PAT (point after touchdown) by kicker Allan Infante.The Jaguars counterattacked with a touchdown when quarterback Bret Nelson connected with receiver Bryant Mitchell for an 11-yard touchdown reception to leave the Jaguars up 7-6.
During the first play of the second quarter, SWC stretched their lead 14-6, after a 37-yard touchdown reception by Mitchell.

Their first Husky offensive series of the second quarter would turn out to be Cantu’s last of the game and in stepped second-string quarterback Adrian Diaz. The Huskies went three and out.

Close to the end of the first half, the Huskies were down 21-6 after they surrendered a 58-yard touchdown reception from Nelson to wide-out Vernon Johnson.

ELAC’s running-back Preston Oliver went down forcing other Huskies to take some pressure off of Diaz’s shoulders. “This is my second year playing, so I knew it was my turn to step up after watching my starting quarterback and running-back (Cantu) go down,” Diaz said.

The Jaguars increased their lead to 22 points on a jet sweep-pass. Motion receiver Jordan Jacobs took a handoff from Nelson then pivoted and threw down the field to an open receiver in Johnson for a 24-yard touchdown reception.

ELAC answered back when Diaz connected with wide receiver Willie Udofia on a fade route for a 5-yard touchdown reception capping off a drive that stood the duration of 17 plays and over 90-yards of offense.

The Huskies went for two points and their attempt was denied cutting the lead to 28-12.

After a Jaguar three and out, the Huskies took the ball into the end zone when receiver Ellis Willoughby took a designed bubble screen to the house for an 87-yard touchdown. The Huskies failed in their two-point convertion attempt.

The SWC offense prevailed in the fourth quarter. They got into the end zone after converting on a fourth-and-8 play when Nelson completed a quick slant to Johnson after several Huskies missed tackles.

Johnson went up the field for a 33-yard gain setting the Jaguars up at the goal line followed by a quarterback sneak for a touchdown. The Huskies were down 35-18.

ELAC cut the difference to nine, on fourth-and-10 on the Jaguar 35-yard line when Portillo caught a 32-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route. This allowed him to separate from the man-to-man coverage.

ELAC got the ball back with less than six minutes left when Nelson’s pass was intercepted by cornerback Breeon Moreno. In the two offensive possessions that followed for the Huskies, Diaz threw two consecutive interceptions ending ELAC’s late game rally.

“I was very proud of my team’s valiant performance, not giving up, persevering,” ELAC’s Head Coach Steve Mojarro said.

The Huskies stand 3-2 overall and winless in the Mountain Conference at 0-2. The football team returns to action Saturday Oct. 12, on the road against Victor Valley College. The Rams currently are 1-4 overall and also winless in conference.

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