HARLEY GARCIA/Special to The Express
After Coalinga dominated the West Sierra League the last two years in football, the Horned Toads are not a lock to repeat this season. Coalinga lost 23 seniors from last year’s squad that went 14-1 last season and made it all the way to the Northern California finals.
With Coalinga rebuilding this year, the WSL should be wide open with four teams pretty much evenly matched. Besides Coalinga, Dos Palos, Mendota, and Firebaugh will be looking to go after the league title.
Last Friday with league openings all over the Central Section, Firebaugh had Coalinga on the ropes, only to lose on a last second tipped touchdown pass, 15-14.
Coalinga was not able to move the ball on its opening drive, and a good punt return set Firebaugh up at the Horned Toad 34-yard line. Fine runs by Eagle running back Alex Rosa and quarterback Leo Perez set Firebaugh up at the one-yard line, where Rosa carried the ball in for the score and a 7-0 lead.
Coalinga quarterback Daniel Rios, a 5’10” junior, tied the score late in the opening quarter when he hit tight end Erik Hernandez for a score. Firebaugh was looking to take the lead back but a pass was intercepted at the Coalinga 23-yard line to stop the drive.
The Eagles again were turned back after starting a drive at the Coalinga 48-yard line. Perez moved his team down the field, only to see another interception stop the drive at the three-yard line. However, Coalinga fumbled the ball on their first play and Firebaugh set up at the Horned Toad six yard line. Luna carried the ball in and the point after kick gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead.
In the third quarter, the Eagle defense came up with a goal line stand to stop a drive and take over at their one-yard line. But facing a full-out blitz, Coalinga came up with a safety to cut the lead to 14-9.
Clinging to their lead, Firebaugh was forced to punt from its endzone late in the fourth quarter, and Coalinga returned the punt to the Firebaugh 23-yard line. With less than a minute left, Rios tossed a pass into the endzone that was tipped by a Coalinga receiver and snatched by a teammate for the winning score.
The Eagles are now 3-3 on the season.
