HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : El Camino Still Has Line on City West

MIRA MESA —  Well, Herb Meyer, El Camino High’s football coach, has done it again.

In each of the past 3 seasons, Meyer has packed up his team and bused them south to take on a City Western League team. And each time, El Camino has come out on the favorable end of a rout.

The latest victim was University City (7-3), 42-6 loser to El Camino (9-2-1) in a muddy 2-A quarterfinal playoff game Friday at Mira Mesa High. El Camino will face the winner of tonight’s San Pasqual-Lincoln game next Saturday.

University City had raced through the City West fueled by tailback Darnes Taylor, who gained more than 1,000 yards in the regular season. Friday, Taylor was held to 31 yards on 15 carries.

Last year, El Camino beat USDHS, 29-3. The year before, it was El Camino 33, USDHS 3. So can a conclusion be drawn that the Avocado League, of which El Camino is a member, is superior to the City West?

Meyer is diplomatic.

“Nobody likes to compare leagues, but I think there is no question that our league is very, very strong,” he said. “When you play each week in this league it makes you mentally tough.”

Friday’s game was essentially over at halftime. El Camino took charge early under the direction of senior quarterback Eric Robinson.

El Camino drove 63 yards in 7 plays for its first score with 9:38 remaining in the first quarter. Robinson had runs of 18 and 12 yards, and Brian Madlangbayan capped the drive with a 16-yard touchdown run through the University City line.

After stopping University City on 3 plays, El Camino drove 71 yards on 9 plays on its next possession. Robinson hooked up with split end Jerry Avery for a 26-yard pass play, then scored on a keeper from the 11. The two-point conversion made it 14-0.

El Camino scored again in the second quarter when linebacker Shane Armstrong picked off an Anthony Hill pass and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown.

University City’s lone bright spot came on the ensuing kickoff, when Jeff Jordan outraced a pack of El Camino players for a 95-yard touchdown return.

El Camino scored again and led, 27-6, at halftime.

The second half was a mud bath as the rain came down with increasing force and the teams slipped to the finish.