El Dorado Beats Cypress to Gain Playoff Berth

ANAHEIM —  El Dorado scored three touchdowns late in the second half to defeat Cypress, 22-3, in the battle for third place in the Empire League Friday night at Western High.

El Dorado (5-5, 3-2 in league) will find out its Division II playoff opponent Sunday.

Hampered by penalties and two interceptions by Colby Waltenberg, the Golden Hawks were down, 3-2, when Alex Molnar slipped over left tackle for a 43-yard touchdown run on a third-and-one play with 2:02 left in the third quarter. El Dorado went for the two-point conversion but was hit by a delay-of-game penalty and received a second chance after a pass interference call in the end zone. Joe Testone tackled Molner short of the end zone to preserve an 8-3 lead.

Dennis Haynes caught a 25-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-down play to make the score 15-3 with 9:47 left in the game. Molnar’s 10-yard touchdown with 6:52 left completed the scoring.

“We were pleased with our defense against the run,” El Dorado Coach Rick Jones said.

El Dorado gave up only 27 yards on the ground and 91 yards total, most of it in one drive. Cypress (1-8-1, 1-3-1) took a 3-2 lead following a 15-play, 71-yard drive to open the second half with Joey Meza making a 27-yard field goal with 4:15 left in the third period.

El Dorado scored the only points of the first half when a center snap on a punt attempt sailed over the head of Meza, who fell on it in the end zone for a safety with 43 seconds left. The play was set up on a 15-yard penalty because two Cypress players had metal cleats.

Molnar led the El Dorado running attack with 131 yards on 17 carries.