Prado’s Long Scoring Run Earns El Modena a Victory

BUENA PARK —  Quarterback Jose Prado found the opening when he needed it to lead El Modena High’s football team to a 7-0 victory over Sunny Hills in nonleague game Friday at Buena Park High School.

The crowd of 1,000 saw El Modena (1-1) take possession after a Sunny Hills’ punt on the Sunny Hills 41. On first down, Prado found an opening and went 41 yards down the left sideline and scored with 2:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. Prado, who had attempted two field goals that fell short of the goalpost, kicked the conversion.

“If I had to play games like this one seven days a week I would probably be 102 years old,” El Modena Coach Bill Backstrom said.

“Our kids played above their heads and rose to the occasion. Our offense scored when it had to and our defense played as a unit to come up with the big plays,” Backstrom said.

Freddie Romo recovered two Sunny Hills fumbles and had one interception for El Modena. Dan Biello sacked Sunny Hills’ quarterback Hakeim McKenzie and recovered a fumbled punt.

“They played good defense against us and we played good defense against them,” said Sunny Hills (1-1) coach Tim Devaney, “but El Modena executed well and we didn’t.”