Brea Opens Up in Second Half, Then Closes Out El Dorado

PLACENTIA — Brea-Olinda abandoned a conservative game plan in the second half and broke loose for a 20-10 victory over El Dorado in the final nonleague game for both teams Thursday night at Valencia High School.

Quarterback Jason Luevanos, who completed only four of nine passes for 35 yards in the first half, hit wide receiver Gilbert Arriola with a 76-yard scoring pass on the second play of the third quarter to break a 7-7 tie and put the undefeated Wildcats (5-0) ahead to stay.

“We wanted to run tonight and establish our ground game,” Brea-Olinda Coach Jon Looney said. “We did well at times, but I was real frustrated in the first half, because we had great field position but couldn’t score.”

El Dorado took a 7-0 second-quarter lead after quarterback Mark Selway’s 27-yard keeper put the ball on the Brea 16. Running back Bryan Warner scored from the one seven plays later, and Blayne Leitner kicked the conversion.

Brea took the ensuing kickoff 71 yards in five plays for its first score, a 14-yard touchdown run by Paul Garcia. Marco Hernandez’s kick tied the score.

El Dorado (3-2) threatened to tie the score in the third quarter with a 71-yard drive to the Wildcat three. But the Golden Hawks had to settle for Leitner’s 26-yard field goal.

Luevanos, who finished the game with eight completions in 16 attempts for 174 yards and two touchdowns, put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter after a 46-yard pass to tight end Dave Dean set up a nine-yard scoring pass to Ryan Watkins with 5 minutes 42 seconds remaining.

“We’ve got a long ways to go for league play,” Looney said. “We’ve got better football ahead of us. I’m still waiting to see it.”