Beck and Molnar Step to the Front for No. 9 El Dorado

PLACENTIA — With tailback Spencer Frost limited to playing defense after spraining an ankle last week against Brea-Olinda, El Dorado had to turn to someone other than their leading rusher.

Actually, the Golden Hawks turned to two players--quarterback Jim Beck and tailback Alex Molnar--in their 17-7 Empire League-opening victory over visiting Katella.

Beck completed 14 of 20 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown, and Molnar rushed 14 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.

The victory improved El Dorado--the ninth-ranked team in Orange County--to 6-0. Katella is 3-3.

Defense dominated until late in the third quarter, when Beck hit Kevin Haynes with a 16-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left break a scoreless tie.

Katella answered on Alex Alvarez’s nine-yard run with 9:18 remaining in the game to tie the score, 7-7.

Molnar’s 21-yard field goal put El Dorado back on top, and his 55-yard touchdown run with 2:28 clinched it.

“Our offense is struggling a bit,” El Dorado Coach Rick Jones said. “But we proved tonight that we’re a four-quarter team.”