Cordova crushes Florin in season finale
Oct 29, 2022 12:00AM ● By By Shaun Holkko, sports editorCordova senior quarterback Kevin Lewis rushes for an 85-yard touchdown during a 54-28 win against Florin on Friday, October 28 at Lancer Stadium in Rancho Cordova. Photo by Rick Sloan
RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) – A tough season ended on a triumphant note Friday night as the Cordova varsity football team won its last game of the season on Senior Night against Florin.
The Lancers (3-8, 2-3 Greater Sacramento League) crushed the Panthers (1-9, 1-4 GSL) by a score of 54-28. In his final game at Cordova, Kevin Lewis put on a show, even more than he has all season.
The speedy and versatile senior started at quarterback for the second straight week after shifting to the backfield for most of the year. Lewis hardly used his arm, completing 1-of-4 pass attempts for 12 yards. Lewis did, however, use his legs and he used them a lot.
The Lancers were led to the win by Lewis rushing 15 times for 361 yards and seven touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 140-pound senior averaged a whopping 24.1 yards per rush that included an 85-yard burst to the end zone. He even added 52 yards to his totals on a punt return. As a defensive back, Lewis recorded six tackles.
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Cordova led 14-0 after the first quarter. Florin got on the scoreboard shortly into the second quarter with a rushing touchdown, but the subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed.
Lewis put the Lancers up three-scores with back-to-back rushing scores. The Panthers scored right before halftime as senior quarterback Nathaniel Perez rushed in from one yard out for the touchdown and from two yards out for the two-point try. Cordova led 27-14 at the break.
Florin trimmed the deficit to five to open the second half as the Panthers scored a rushing touchdown followed by senior running back Marquevion Fluker rushing in for two points. Lewis then put the Lancers back up double-digits with another rushing touchdown in the third period.
Cordova led 35-22 after 36 minutes of play and put the game away in the fourth quarter with three more rushing touchdowns compared to one for Florin. Lewis capped off his final performance for the Lancers with a 35-yard rushing touchdown with a minute to play. Cordova ultimately won 54-28.
Lewis was not the Lancers’ only efficient rusher though. Sophomore Victor Cubero had eight carries for 114 yards and a score, averaging 14.3 yards per carry. Senior wide receiver Fabian Arellano-Perez had eight rushes for 83 yards. Arellano-Perez averaged 10.4 yards per rush in his final game for Cordova.
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Junior Jayden Rice caught Lewis’ only complete pass on offense. Defensively, he had the game’s only interception. On special teams, he had two kick returns for 41 and 22 yards, respectively.
The defense was led by junior defensive end Michael Brown who tallied a game-high 11 total tackles, four QB hurries and two sacks. Junior Ruvim Kravchuk recorded six tackles and three sacks. Senior defensive lineman Angel Rivera had eight tackles and freshman Anthony Gomez tallied seven tackles.
Interim coach Kyle Williams will have most of his team returning next season as only four players will be graduating: Lewis, Arellano-Perez, Rivera and Brandon Rubio. Lancer fans may have one more opportunity to see Lewis in action sporting the red, black and white if he is selected for the annual Optimist All-Star Football Classic.