Ellis’ Touchdown Pushes Loara Past Western, 35-28

Ryan Clark’s block opened a huge hole and quarterback Jeremy Ellis ran 14 yards untouched for the deciding touchdown to lead Loara High to a 35-28 victory over Western in a season opener Thursday night at Handel Stadium in Anaheim.

Ellis’ touchdown with 6:54 to play came after Western tied the score for the fourth time.

The score had been 28-28 since Rodney Eason, who rushed for 101 yards in 16 carries, scored on a two-yard run for Western with 2:23 left in the third quarter.

Billy Chavez paced Loara, carrying 20 times for 144 yards. He also caught four passes for 46 yards.

Chavez scored on an 18-yard run on the opening drive for Loara, completing a drive kept alive by a facemask penalty on a fourth down sack. Western came right back with Eason capping a 75-yard drive with the first of his three touchdowns, a four-yard run.

Rudy Acosta took the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, giving Loara a 14-7 lead.

Western tied the score on a 20-yard touchdown run by Eason.

Chavez scored with 3:45 left in the first half on a 10-yard run, but the Pioneers responded with a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive kept alive by a 10-yard fourth-down pass from Mike Hicks to Jeff LaMendola.

LaMendola caught a 20-yard scoring pass from Hicks with eight seconds left in the half to tie the score, 21-21.