For the first time this season, El Modena will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will face off against the Trabuco Hills Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. El Modena will be strutting in after a win while Trabuco Hills will be coming in after a defeat.
El Modena will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any points on September 12th, then bounced right back against San Pedro two weeks ago. The Vanguards were the clear victors by a 34-14 margin over the Pirates. The Vanguards not only won two weeks ago, but they posted their biggest win since October 10, 2024 (when they won 55-27).
El Modena's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ethan Sorenson, who threw for 137 yards and two TDs, and also rushed for 67 yards on only eight carries. Those two passing touchdowns gave Sorenson a new career-high. Arnol Correa was Sorenson's top target, picking up 18 receiving yards.
El Modena's run defense was locked in: San Pedro could only muster 3.1 yards per carry. The team can thank Aiden Sullivan for the heroic effort on defense: he. El Modena didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.7.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 43 points the game before, Trabuco Hills was a bit more limited in their game on Friday. They came up short against Corona del Mar, falling 35-13. The Mustangs haven't had much luck with the Sea Kings recently, as the team has come up short the last six times they've met.
Despite the loss, Trabuco Hills saw an underclassman step up: freshman Jackson Verplancke threw for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
El Modena's win bumped their record up to 2-3. As for Trabuco Hills, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-2.
Everything went El Modena's way against Trabuco Hills when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as El Modena made off with a 30-7 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Mustangs' Alex Kiernan, who picked up 173 receiving yards and one score. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Vanguards to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
