The Madera Coyotes allowed two quick first quarter touchdowns, and couldn’t recover in a Homecoming battle with the Sanger Apaches at Toro Stadium.
The Coyotes matched the Apaches the rest of the way, but couldn’t come back from the early deficit in a 48-27 loss to open County/Metro Athletic Conference play Friday night.
Sanger threw just one pass from its wing-T offense, and it went for a 37-yard touchdown after an onsides kick from the first touchdown.
Sanger drove 72 yards on eight plays to score the first touchdown, and took a 13-0 lead 10 seconds after the first score.
The Apaches opened the lead to 20-0 after a 53-yard run before the Coyotes battled back.
Anthony Estrada ran behind Jayden Silva and Eli Garcia for a 10-yard touchdown run with three minutes left in the first half.
Sanger scored four plays later after a 46-yard touchdown run.
The Coyotes came back with a touchdown 24 seconds later. Elias Mena found Lawrence Flores for a 46 yard run. Mena scrambled for 10 yards for the four. Two plays later, Jayden Martinez scored with 42 seconds left for a 27-14 Sanger lead after a Carlos Ochoa extra point.
Mena opened the second half with a 25-yard run on a read-option keeper. After Darius Smith carried to the 12 on third down, Mena found Martinez in the end zone on fourth-and-four from the 12. However, it was ruled Mena was beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. The penalty included a loss of down, and the Coyotes turned the ball over on downs.
Sanger opened its drive with a 56-yard run. Madera was called for a horse collar tackle on third-down after tackling the ball carrier for a loss. Instead of fourth-and-13, Sanger got a first down at the 12, and scored three plays later for a 34-14 lead.
The Coyotes then drove 80 yards on 16 plays to the Sanger 16. Mena hit Martinez for 23 yards. Smith gained 14 on fourth-and-three running behind Isaac Perez.
Mena scored on third-and-goal from the eight on a roll-out run, but a penalty nullified the touchdown. Mena was intercepted on the next play.
The Apaches used a 43-yard run to score. The Coyotes stuffed the Sanger runner at Madera’s 15, and forced a fumble. A Sanger player picked up the fumble, and ran it 15 yards into the end zone for a 41-14 lead early in the fourth.
The Coyotes used a fourth down conversion to score. Mena hit Flores on fourth-and-10 at midfield for a first down. Flores eluded two defenders, and broke a tackle at the 38 for a 67-yard touchdown. Ochoa’s kick cut Sanger’s lead to 20.
The Coyote defense forced a three-and-out, but Mena threw an interception on the next play.
Sanger fumbled the snap three plays later, and Mason Messer recovered for the Coyotes.
The Coyotes drove 66 yards on 11 plays to the Sanger 24, but was stuffed on fourth down.
On the next play, Sanger broke through the line on a delay up the middle, and ran 76 yards for the score for a 48-21 lead.
The Coyotes got a 45-yard gain to Smith on a pass play going across left-to-right to get into Sanger territory. Four plays later, Mena found a wide open Estrada on the left for a walk-in touchdown, but it was too late. The kick hit the upright, and Sanger led 48-27.
The Apaches recovered the onside kick, and took a knee for the victory.
Sanger gained 509 yards of total offense with all of that, but 37 yards, coming on the ground. They had three ball carriers gain more than 130 yards.
Meanwhile, the Coyotes gained 431 yards of total offense. The running game was somewhat limited. Madera averaged 3.6 yards on 41 carries.
Mena threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Flores caught six passes for 137 yards, and Martinez caught seven for 57 yards. Mena also led the Coyotes in rushing with 56 yards on 15 attempts, that included three sacks.