MODESTO – With host Enochs grabbing the momentum at the end of the first half thanks to a late second-period touchdown, East Union’s Jackson Fay wasted little time snatching it back when he snagged an interception on the first play of the third period and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown.

It was the first of 26 consecutive second-half points for the Lancers on the way to a 50-20 win at Johansen High’s Dan Gonsalves Stadium.

“In the first half, I gave up a big ball,” Fay said. “I told my coach I was going to get it back and just read the comeback, came and jumped it and took it to the house.”

That wasn’t the only big defensive play of the half for East Union (4-0). With Vinny Sanchez (five sacks) and Gabriel Lopez (two sacks) making pests of themselves in the Enochs backfield, Sanchez capped the defense’s shutout half with a safety with 7:33 left in the game. Earlier in the final period, before Sanchez’s safety, teammate Hoku Ap’e recovered a fumble.

“When I went to hit him on the safety, I thought he threw the ball,” Sanchez said. “And then I saw the ball in his hand.

“But I couldn’t do it without my defense. They are family to me.”

East Union’s Anthony Morales (16 of 21 passing, 335 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions) kept the second-half momentum going with touchdown passes of 23 yards to J.P Abrew (three receptions, 98 yards) with 7:21 left in the third period, and another on the first play of the fourth quarter of 23 yards.

“We didn’t have a spark in the first half,” Morales said. “In the second half we kind of picked it up as a team.

“We just needed more energy in the second half and that’s what we did.”

Diego Bustamante capped the night’s scoring with a 27-yard field goal with 3:11 left in the game. Bustamante gave the Lancers a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 37-yard field goal that skidded through the uprights after hitting the crossbar.

East Union led 24-20 at halftime with Brayden Camara (22 carries, 160 yards, two touchdowns) having a monster first half. The stocky junior speedster gained 125 yards on 16 carries with touchdown runs of 3 and 8 yards. With 4:39 showing on the second-period clock, Blake Mount (five receptions, 118 yards) pulled in a 36-yard pass from Morales to put the Lancers ahead 24-14. On the last play of the half, Mount grabbed a short pass from Morales and rumbled 35 yards to the Eagles 5-yard line.

“First off, I want to give credit to my line,” Camara said. “Nothing is possible without them, because they open every single hole.

“I can’t run without them. I found the holes, I hit them and dropped my shoulder, and I run behind my pack. That’s what I do.”

Fay added 94 yards on five receptions.

“The kids are really excited,” East Union coach Booie Daniels said. “I’m happy for them, but definitely not satisfied. When we started this season, making the playoffs was our goal, but I’m not satisfied with going 4-6.

“We’re getting ready to start VOL play, and I believe it’s one of the toughest leagues around here, and we open up against Sierra. We need to take the momentum that we have established over the last four games. This is great for the kids, they are building on this, but overall, there are a lot of areas we can improve on.”

Eric Myles scored two 50-yard touchdown for Enochs (2-2), one on a run and the other on a catch from Johnny Staggs. Staggs hit Kaeden Kopp with a 2-yard touchdown pass.

The Lancers travel to Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium next Friday to open VOL play against Sierra at 7 p.m.