Enochs grounds Downey

Eagles' Johnson rushes for 181 yards

Brian VanderBeek
bvanderbeek@modbee.com

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Considering the fact that Enochs High opened only three years ago, there was a remarkably large homecoming crowd on their side of the stadium Friday night.

Perhaps they came to wax nostalgic about the entire three-year history of the school. But they'll be back next time to celebrate the brand of football played by the Eagles.

Enochs rolled up 457 rushing yards, including 181 by Donnavan Johnson, and grounded Downey's nationally ranked passing attack in a 48-20 thumping of the Knights at Johansen High.

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"This is the Enochs Entourage," said Johnson, who carried only 10 times and scored three touchdowns. "They know we have a good team and they know we can go to the playoffs and they came out to give us support."

The Eagles improved to 3-5 overall and 3-0 in the Modesto Metro Conference -- a league mark also boasted by Enochs at the junior varsity and freshman levels. Downey fell to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the MMC as its offense never found a rhythm.

Jason Lee, who entered the game leading the nation in passing at exactly 400 yards per game, continued to throw the ball on nearly every play. He finished 21-for-42 for a season-low 227 yards. He was intercepted twice and threw two touchdown passes to Corey Keller, who grabbed seven passes for 128 yards.

In most weeks, for most high school teams, those would be stellar numbers. But Downey needs more offense than that simply because the Knights' defense has been porous this season.

Downey's passing game is based on quick slants and bubble screens, which Enochs took away by being physical with the Knights' receivers at the line. Downey tried to stretch the field with long passes, but none found their target.

At the other end of the spectrum, Enochs needed to throw only eight passes while concentrating on a devastating ground game. In addition to Johnson's total, J.T. Boles gained 113 yards and scored a touchdown, Gabe Aguilar ran for 75 yards and two scores, and Marc Espinoza gained 72 yards.

Despite that ground attack, there was a scare for Enochs at the start of the second quarter when Johnson -- the team's top breakaway threat -- rolled his ankle on his fourth carry and had to be helped from the field. He would return in the second half to gain 153 yards on six carries against an increasingly tiring Knights' defense.

"I rolled my ankle, but I had to come back and play for my team because it was a big game," Johnson said. "You have pain in football and you have injury in football, and mine was just pain."

As for the 65 rushing attempts that allowed Enochs to keep the ball away from Lee and the Downey passing game, Johnson gave all the credit to the guys up front.

"That's all on the offensive line," Johnson said. "They're our team. Without the offensive line we have we wouldn't be the team we are."

Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or 578-2300.