Prep Football: Eldorado takes down Johnston City at home
The battle between Eldorado and Johnston City was billed as two of the Black Diamond Conferences best defenses squaring off Friday at Boz Adams Field.
The Eagles, looking to capitalize on last week's superb performance at Fairfield, backed it up with a second straight showing in a 34-7 win over the Indians on what was Senior Night at Eldorado.
Brandon Hampton, head coach at EHS, didn't shy away from calling Friday night's victory a "signature win," noting that is two weeks in a row, where his defense has rose to the occasion.
"This was a big win for our football program," Hampton said. "I know there are a lot of guys that are offensive gurus and they play tempo offense and do those things, but our little recipe at Eldorado is pretty great. When we can play great defense, limit the opponent and when we run the football, hold onto it and keep it away from the defense, it's a recipe that a lot of people were using a long time ago, but it still holds true today.
"If you can run the football, stop people from running it and hit the big play action game, you have a chance to be a championship football team and that's what we have right now."
Eldorado wasted no time going to work as the area's leading rusher in touchdowns, Payton Price had two half scores, one from 36 yards out in the first quarter and another from 15 yards out right before halftime.
The other first half score came on Eldorado's one - and only - pass of the night as Kale Oglesby hooked up with Max Kasiar from 30 yards out to give the Eagles a 20-0 lead.
Jacob Traxler put Eldorado up 28-0 when he found the end zone from five yards out in the third quarter and following a Luca Guladoni two-yard run with 10:49 in the fourth to put Johnston City on the board, Price finished things off with a five-yard run, bringing his season total to 20 TD's on the season.
Johnston City came into the contest, giving up just 72 points all season. The loss eliminates Johnston City from the conversation for Black Diamond Conference championship, but head coach Dan Mings tipped his cap to Eldorado.
"It just was what it was, we got beat by the better football team," Mings said. "I don't know if it was a thing of being physical, but (Eldorado) executed well. That is what is going to help them down the road. We knew we could throw the football and that's not what I do, but we threw the ball with some success. We just had some fumbles, miscues, turnovers, but we got beat today and they out executed us."
On the night, Johnston City (6-2) had five fumbles on the night, losing three and gave up 380-plus yards to the Eagles (7-1)
Aside from Gualdoni's 164 yards on 14 carries, Eldorado limited Johnston City to under 50 yards on the ground and 44 through the air.
"A real credit to our defense," Hampton said. "I thought they fought hard. That's two opponents, two weeks in a row now that are tough to defend. They have some offensive lineman that can really get after you. (Luca) Guladoni is obviously a special athlete and we kept him contained. A real overall team victory, super proud for our kids. This week was all about our seniors and getting them out of here with a win and it is what it is, we have had some hard fought ballgames against Johnston City. It's become a nice little rivalry and it's nice to come out on top."
Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.