The Madera Coyotes football team did something that hasn’t been done in more than 12 years — take down the Bullard Knights.
Not only did the Coyotes defeat the Knights on Friday at McLane Stadium, they did it in dominating fashion with a 63-28 victory to pick up a County/Metro Athletic Conference victory.
After Bullard cut the lead to two touchdowns in the second half, the Coyotes scored 21 points in the fourth quarter that was highlighted by a pick-6 and a 76-yard touchdown run by Darius White.
After going three-and-out on its first drive of the game, Madera scored on five straight possessions to open a 35-14 halftime lead, and outscored Bullard 27-14 in the second half.
Madera outdid everything against the Knights. Smith rushed for 172 yards on 15 carriers, and scored three rushing touchdowns, caught a touchdown and threw a touchdown. Quarterback Elias Mena threw only two incompletions, and completed 16 passes for 180 yards.
Jayden Perez had a career game with four catches for 93 yards, and a touchdown. Lawrence Flores caught six passes for 63 yards, and Jayden Martinez caught five passes for 43 yards, and scored his token one-yard touchdown run.
The Madera defense matched the offense. Although they allowed Bullard’s leading rusher to gain more than 100 yards, it took 24 carries to get there. Bullard was limited to 15 rushes of two yards or fewer. The Bullard quarterback threw 17 incompletions and an interception.
After Madera punted to open the game, Bullard went for it on fourth-and-one from its 36-yard line. Zach Prince broke through from the outside to stop Bullard for no gain.
It only took Madera one play to capitalize. Smith got the hand off up the middle, and bounced it to the right for a 36-yard touchdown run, and a 7-0 lead after the first of eight Carlos Ochoa extra points.
Bullard got two 17-yard pass plays to get into Madera territory, and scored on a 38-yard touchdown run to tie the game at seven.
Madera took the ensuing kick-off to the 45, and marched into Bullard territory. Mena hit Smith on a quick slant going to the right, and Smith went into the end zone for a 14-7 lead.
Brian Qualls sacked the Bullard quarterback to force a punt. The punt snap went over the punter’s head. The punter got the ball away for just four yards.
The Coyotes marched from there. Mena carried three straight times to the Bullard 15. He gained eight on third-and-five from the 15. Smith and Mena took the ball to the one, and Martinez scored out of the wildcat on fourth-and-goal for a 21-7 lead.
Bullard got an initial first down, but faced a fourth-and-one from its 47. Brian Guzman and Martinez broke in for a tackle for loss to give the Coyotes the ball in Bullard territory.
Flores gained 11 on an end around. Two Smith carries gained 16 yards to the Bullard 20. Mena hit Perez for a 16-yard gain. After Smith was tackled for a seven-yard loss, Mena found Perez wide-open in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
The Knights scored on the first play of the next drive, but a holding penalty was called down the field. On the next play, from midfield, Bullard fumbled, and Prince recovered at the Bullard 45.
The Coyotes went into their bag of tricks and called for a halfback pass. Smith threw down field to a wide-open Flores for the touchdown, and 35-7 lead.
Bullard drove down the field before halftime. Near midfield, Bullard got three runs for 19 yards, and a reverse pass for 14. The Knights scored with a seven-yard run up the middle for a 35-14 Madera lead at the half.
The Knights got an initial first down to start the second half, highlighted by a 31-yard pass. Facing a fourth down, Bullard got a pass interference penalty, and scored two plays later to cut Madera’s lead to 35-21.
The Coyotes had to punt, but the Madera defense stiffened in the red zone for a fourth down incomplete pass.
On third-and-five from the 36, Mena hit Perez on a crossing route at the 40. Perez took it down the left sideline for a 49-yard gain to the Bullard five.
Mena hit Flores from five yards out for the touchdown and a 41-21 lead after the point after was wide.
Bullard came right back, and on the second play of the fourth quarter, scored from a yard out to cut the lead to 41-28. Bullard was helped by the third of five pass interference penalty called against Madera in the second half.
Madera came back right down the field. After Mena was sacked for a loss of 10, he completed three straight passes. Two went to Martinez for 21 yards and another to Flores for five.
On fourth-and-three, Mena hit Martinez for eight yards, and then scrambled down the left side for a 24-yard gain to the 10.
Mena hit Martinez for seven, and Smith went up the middle for the final three yards for a 48-28 lead.
After Madera’s fourth pass interference penalty of the second half, the Coyotes got revenge. Adam Ornelas stepped in front of a Bullard receiver, who was going to the ground, for an interception at the Madera 40. He cut across from the left down the right sideline for a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown to give the Coyotes a 55-28 lead.
Bullard was aided by another pass interference penalty, but had to punt.
Two plays later, Smith went through a huge hole on the right side, and got a downfield block from Flores for a 76-yard game-clinching touchdown run to open a 62-28 lead.
Bullard drove the ball inside the Madera 30, but time ran out for Madera’s first win over Bullard in 12 years.