A strong start in the first half helped the Spartans take and keep the lead of the game against their rivals El Dorado, defeating the Aztecs 34-16 Friday night Sept.10 at the SAC. 

Spartans secured the lead by scoring a touchdown early in the first quarter, from a 37-yard pass by sophomore quarterback Gael Ochoa to sophomore receiver Marcus Torres. The Aztecs would follow scoring their only touchdown of the first half ending the first quarter with a score of 14-7. 

Pebble Hills kept the lead going, scoring four touchdowns ending the half with a 27-10 lead. 

The Spartans would score their last touchdown in the second half in the third quarter, with a pass from Gael Ochoa to Diego Contreras, that would become Ochoa’s fourth touchdown pass. The Aztecs would also score one more time in the fourth quarter. 

“A lot of focus and just executing,” Ochoa said. “We’re going out here, we’re both 0-2 but you just got to stay focus after the two tough losses the past weeks, but I think focus is the biggest thing.”  

Ochoa, who ended the game with five touchdowns, four passes, and a run, secured his first win as a starter.  

“It feels great, obviously being young, sophomore, the first win it feels really good, going from my first actual touchdown today, my first passing TD, we’re going to enjoy it and we just have to get on the road now,” he said. 

Head coach Mark Torres feels that his team has a lot of potential, but it is up to the players to be successful. 

“I think we got into a rhythm, and we played discipline, we played really well,” said Torres on his team’s play against El Dorado. “When we played hero, me over we football like we’ve done in the past, things don’t look so good. So potentially, we could be really explosive and tough to beat, but you know when we get selfish, it becomes difficult for us.” 

The offense was easily able to lead the Spartans to a thirty-four-point win, ending their two-game losing streak.

“When we get our rhythm, and our tempo is going well everybody is contributing,” Torres said. “A lot of guys scored touchdowns tonight.”

Torres also commented that the player connection with Ochoa-Torres is because of all the reps that come from the four years that they have been playing together. 

The Spartans hope to keep the victories coming as they play the Eastwood Troopers, this Thursday, at the SAC at 7:00 PM. The Troopers are 2-1, coming off a loss in Spring Ranch, Texas. 

“Just depends on what team shows up, I mean we’re hot and cold, and we need to really grow up as a team, with starting fourteen underclassmen, and nobody cares, it’s not an excuse,” Torres said. “Our kids have a responsibility to be disciplined and perform up to their potential, so it’s up to our kids, if they’re serious about it and they’re disciplined about it, we’re going to be tough to beat, if they’re not, we can lose to anybody, so we have to have our mind and have our right attitude.”