Shepard Is Slowed, but Sunny Hills Still Rolls

Sunny Hills Coach Tim Brogden knew coming into Thursday night’s game that El Modena was going to try to isolate Lancer running back Brandon Shepard. The Vanguards did, and it worked, for about the first 10 minutes. Then the Lancers pulled out some other weapons and rolled over the Vanguards, 37-0, in a nonleague football game at El Modena.

The Vanguards (0-2) held Shepard, who compiled 255 all-purpose yards in his first game, to 34 yards until the final drive of the game, when he carried the ball four times for 65 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 19 carries for 99 yards.

Brogden went to the air and, while it wasn’t perfect, it accounted for the Lancers’ first three touchdowns.

After his first three passes fell incomplete, Lancer quarterback Bryson Igarta connected with Adam Lindholm on a 78-yard strike with 1 minute four seconds left in the first quarter.

With 10:30 left in the half, Igarta found David Carpio in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown. Igarta’s final scoring pass came with 7:35 left in the third, when he threw to Mike Goodie in the corner of the end zone. The ball was tipped by Vanguard defender John Villa, but Goodie came down with it for a 21-0 lead.

While Shepard was shut down, Sunny Hills’ Zach Tune was impressive. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound fullback carried the ball eight times for 112 yards, including a 55-yard scoring run with 11:40 left in the game.

The Lancer defense held the Vanguards to 91 yards of offense, sacking quarterback Matt Spoonemore seven times, including twice by Shepard.

“We knew they were going to go to the air,” Brogden said. “So, we were hoping we could get up on him. I’m happy with how we are playing, but we will find out how good we are next week.”

The Lancers visit Brea Olinda next Friday.