PREP FOOTBALL : Empire League : Esperanza, Cypress Tie for Second Year In a Row

For the second consecutive year, Esperanza and Cypress high schools tied their Empire League football game Friday night. The score was 7-7 in front of 1,500 fans at Western High School.

Despite being outgained, 244-37, Cypress had a chance to win with 30 seconds left, but Joey Chavez missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.

On the game’s third play, Esperanza defensive end Tim Leonard picked up a fumble by Cypress quarterback Chris Dangaran and returned it 3 yards for a touchdown. Kevin Leon’s conversion gave the Aztecs a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes 24 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Centurions (1-6-1, 0-2-2) tied it with 6:35 left in the period on a 65-yard interception return by by Kevin Smith and Chavez’s extra point.

Esperanza (4-4-1, 0-3-1) turned the ball over 6 times and had an 85-yard touchdown run by Jay Sostarich called back on a clipping penalty late in fourth quarter.

Late in the game, Cypress moved within Chavez’s field goal range, helped by 10-yard pass completion from Dangaran to tight end Marc DeNoon on fourth down.

After Chavez missed, Aztec quarterback Keith McDonald competed a 31-yard pass to Sostarich, who was tackled as time ran out.

Esperanza’s Lance Brown had 110 yards in 14 carries.