California's game on Friday was all tied up 21-21 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They took down the El Monte Lions 49-34.
Brian Padilla had a dynamite game, rushing for 182 yards and three touchdowns on only 14 carries. His longest rush was for an impressive 55 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Andrew Robledo was another key back, rushing for 116 yards and one TD on only 11 carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: California was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 401 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 226 rushing yards in five consecutive games dating back to last season.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to California's defensive line and their five sacks. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Robledo and Fernando Duarte, who each picked up 1.5 sacks apiece.
Several Lions players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Alex Aleman, who threw for 280 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Noah Munoz was Aleman's top target, picking up 149 receiving yards and one score.
The win got California back to even at 2-2. As for El Monte, this is the second loss in a row for them and also nudges their season record down to 2-2.
Looking ahead, California is taking a road trip to square off against Bell Gardens at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Lancers' defense has only allowed 12 points per game this season, so the Condors' offense will have their work cut out for them. As for El Monte, they will be playing at home against Arroyo at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. This will be the Lions' first chance to prove their worth in the conference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
