Abalos’ final carry was a 62-yard scoring run on which he juked three would-be tacklers in the secondary after turning the corner around the left side late in the third quarter.
It marked the first of four long runs on the night on which he was able to reach the end zone.
In the first quarter, he had a 43-yard run to the La Quinta 11-yard line, and a 53-yarder to the Aztecs’ 16. In the second quarter, he broke off an 80-yard gain to the six. He eventually earned the touchdown run on two of the aforementioned three big gains, but quarterback John Diego capped the drive that included Abalos’ 53-yard run with a one-yard sneak.
Estancia posted its biggest margin of victory since a 56-0 win over Bolsa Grande in 2006.
It was the most points scored by the Eagles since a 58-20 triumph against La Quinta, also in 2006.
Further, the Eagles’ last two wins, over La Quinta and Magnolia, are by a combined margin of 77-7. Estancia lost to those two schools by a combined margin of 75-14 last year. So, the turnaround against those two opponents, from a 61-point deficit to a 70-point surplus, marks an improvement of 131 points.
Bringing up the rear of the Corona del Mar handshake line Friday night, the one that had Sea Kings players exchange postgame salutations with a Magnolia Sentinels team they had just shut down, 27-0, was J.D. Abbott.
The senior running back/outside linebacker was missing his left cleat because his left ankle had been wrapped in a flesh-colored Ace bandage.
“If we played next week, I’d be ready to go,” Abbott said as he started to walk the postgame line, answering the question as to how serious the injury, that occurred late in the game, appeared to be.
