The Madera South Stallions rebounded from its first two-game losing streak of the season to roll over the Fresno Warriors with a 41-7 victory at McLane Stadium.
The Stallions opened a 19-7 halftime lead, and outscored Fresno 21-0 in the second half for the Thursday night win.
The win evens the season for first-year head coach Eric Tatum with a match-up with Matilda Torres on Friday night.
The Stallions have scored 40 or more points twice this year, and have scored 30 or more points in all four victories. But, in their four losses, the Stallions haven’t scored more than 15 points, and 32 points total.
Diego Reyna Navarro led the Toros with 102 yard rushing, averaging 8.5 per carry. Also emerging as QB1 for the Stallions has been John Ledesma, who scored three rushing touchdowns and threw for another.
Fresno got the ball first, and drove to the Madera South 32 before throwing incomplete on fourth-and-23. Fresno went nine plays on the drive, but a sack by A.J. Alvarez sent the Warriors in the wrong direction.
Reyna Navarro gained 20 yards on the second play. Ledesma hit Jonathan Buendia on a quick pass over the middle for 11 yards. Then, Reyna Navarro went round the right side, and gained 18 yards behind the block of Lucas Amezquita on the edge.
Ledesma had a wide-open walk-in touchdown from two yards out for a 7-0 lead. Michael Cuevas hit the extra point.
Keyed by a tackle for loss from Jeremiah Armenta, the Warriors had to punt. The punt snap was a slow lob to the punter. The rush from the Stallions forced the punter to bring the ball down, and Alvarez mad the tackle for a loss of 15, and set the Stallions up in good field position.
Reyna Navarro kept the option around the right side for a 34-yard gain, helped by a block from William Hernandez. Three plays later, Ledesma kept the ball on an option for a two-yard touchdown, and a 13-0 lead.
Alvarez forced a three-out-out with another tackle for loss. The Stallions went on their longest drive of the game, 10 plays, but had to punt. The punt went was short, but rolled 20 yards to the Fresno 10, which set up a Madera South score.
Two plays later, Fresno mishandled the hand-off, and Adrian Flores came up with the recovery for the Stallions at the Fresno six.
On fourth-and-goal from the one, Reyna Navarro scored for a 20-0 lead.
The Warriors came back and, helped by two Stallions’ 15-yard penalties, scored on a 26-yard pass play to cut the lead to 20-7.
Cuevas returned the ensuing kick-off 80 yards for a touchdown, but an illegal block penalty was called, and the Stallions ran out the half.
The Stallions used six straight running plays to open the second half with a score. Cuevas recovered a Fresno onsides kick try. Ledesma carried for six on third-and-six. George Roberts went around the left side behind the blocks of Reyna Navarro and Cuevas on the edge for a 22-yard gain.
Ledesma went up the middle, and bounced to his left at the line of scrimmage, and went down the left sideline for a 16-yard touchdown run. Reyna Navarro ran in the two-point conversion for a 28-7 lead.
Fresno was forced to punt, and the Stallions’ rush forced the punter to try to run, and Charles Moore made the tackle for a three-yard loss.
Madera South drew Fresno offsides on third down. Then, Reyna Navarro got the carry, and hit the pile for a four-yard gain. However, he kept driving, and got help from his teammates, for a 13-yard gain to the 17.
Three plays later, Ledesma tried a pass on the right that was almost intercepted. The Fresno defender tipped the ball in the air, but intended receiver Adam Moreno caught the tip, and ran it into the end zone for the touchdown, and a 34-7 lead.
The Warriors got a 13-yard gain and a 19-yard gain to midfield. However, Ledesma caught a Fresno pass at the Stallions’ 40 for the interception, and returned it to the Fresno 20.
Two Roberts runs for 10 yards gave the Stallions a first-and-goal. On the next play, Adam Sandez got the call on the left side. He went behind the block of Buendia and Alvarez, who put a player on his back, and blocked two defenders at the same time, to score for a 41-7 lead after a Cuevas kick to end the game.