Downey handles Enochs to remain unbeaten

This much we know: Downey High's football can score points.

In the previous 10 seasons under head coach Jeremy Plaa, the Knights have averaged 35 points per game, with a high of 46 per ccontest in 2012.

But the question remains: Can the Knights play good enough defense to make a deep run in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs?

They partially answered that question Friday night in a 28-10 Modesto Metro Conference victory over Enochs, with the first unit holding the Eagles to a field goal before the second string giving up a meaningless touchdown on the last possession of the game.

The Knights struck first on the game's opening possession. After recovering an onside kick on Enochs' 49, Downey needed just five plays to cash in. Quarterback Bryce Peterson found Jairol Red-Harris for a 28-yard scoring strike. And when Peterson ran in the two-point conversion, the Knights led 8-0.

Over the next three possessions, Enochs twice turned the ball over on downs. The Eagles' third possession wasn't much better, starting off with a 4-yard loss, followed by a sack for minus-6 yards. After another 2-yard loss, a delay of game penalty moved the ball back 5, and that was followed by another sack for a loss of 7. Only Ryan Curtis' 48 yard punt saved the drive from being a complete disaster.

Curtis also delivered a 59-yard punt from deep in his own territory, later in the game.

With 10:29 remaining in the second quarter, Peterson hit Anderson Grover from 8 yards out, leaving the score at 14-0.

The Eagles cut the deficit to 14-3 on a 45-yard field goal by Curtis.

Downey extended the lead when Peterson found Grover again, this time from the 35, with just over two minutes left in the third quarter, and then made it 28-3 when Peterson hooked up with Red again, this one from 18, to make it 28-3.

Enochs (2-3, 0-1 MMC) closed out the scoring with 1:50 left in the game when Chris Butterfield scooted around the left end for a 4-yard TD.

Peterson completed 19 of 27 passes for 257 yards and four TDs, while running back Miles Lewis carried the ball 10 times for 91 yards.

The victory didn't come with out a price for the Knights (6-0, 2-0), however, as senior offensive lineman Jairus Lovell suffered what appeared to be a broken lower leg late in the first half and appears to be done for the season. He left the field on a stretcher and was taken away in an ambulance.

The injury temporarily distracted the Knights, who led 14-0 at the time of the injury and whiffed on their first two possessions of the second half.

Downey will take on Beyer next week, while Enochs tangles with Modesto.

This story was originally published September 30, 2017 at 1:14 AM with the headline "Downey handles Enochs to remain unbeaten."