SCORING SUMMARY
Patterson 22 21 3 7 — 53
East Union 7 15 6 22 — 50
First quarter
E — Jackson Fay 87 kick-off return (Diego Bustamante kick), 11:41
P — Romeo Manu 47 pass from Max Medina (Patterson recovers fumble in end zone), 4:35
P — Xavier Tinoco 40 pass from Medina (Jared Carrete kick), 0:48
P — Dasen Pettis 25 interception return (Carrete kick), 0:25
Second quarter
E — Brayden Camara 27 pass from Kirk Simoni (Robby Espinosa pass from Simoni), 11:46
P — Noah Cozart 33 pass from Medina (Carrete kick), 6:02
P — Jeremiah Lugo 3 run (Carrete kick), 2:19
P — Jace Johnson 15 pass from Medina (Carrete kick), 0:37
E — JP Abrew 65 pass from Simoni (Bustamante kick), 0:25
Third quarter
P — Carrete 38 FG, 8:02
E — Simoni 8 run (pass fail), 0:51
Fourth quarter
E — Abrew 8 pass from Anthony Morales (pass fail), 5:13
P — Cozart 43 kickoff return (Carrete kick), 5:08
E — Espinosa 27 pass from Morales (Morales run), 3:39
E — Anthony Oteri 15 pass from Morales (Espinosa pass from Morales), 0:53
East Union fought back from a huge deficit at Friday's homecoming game against Patterson, but the Valley Oak League-newcomer Tigers held on for the 53-50 win at Dino Cunial Field.
"We're a second-half team," said Lancers coach Booie Daniels.
East Union (0-2, 4-2) was down 43-15 just before the intermission.
Patterson (1-1, 3-3) took advantage of several miscues by the Lancers, with junior quarterback Max Medina throwing for four touchdowns in the first half, including a pair of bombs — 47 and 40 yards — to Romeo Manu and Xavier Tinoco, respectively.
He also hit Noah Cozart on 33-yard scoring strike and a 15-yarder to Jace Johnson.
Jeremiah Lugo added a score on a short yardage in the second quarter for Patterson.
East Union managed to make it 43-22 in the final minute before the half, as JP Abrew took a short toss from quarterback Kirk Simoni, racing 65 yards for the TD.
The Tigers managed a field goal early in the third quarter, adding to their lead, 46-22.
But it wasn't until late in the third that Lancers began to find some momentum. Simoni connected with Brayden Camara on a 16-yard completion to the Patterson 8. Simoni capped the drive by scoring on the keeper.
Anthony Morales, who started the game, took over signal-calling duties in the fourth quarter.
He broke loose on a 27-yard pickup and later found Abrew on an 8-yard TD.
Down 46-34, East Union attempted an on-side kick, which had disastrous results. Patterson came up with the live ball, and Cozart reached the end zone at the midway point of the fourth.
The Lancers bounced back moments later as Robby Espinosa took a short pass from Morales, eluding defenders and scoring from 27 yards out.
Morales ran in the two-point conversion to make it 53-42.
The senior quarterback was back in business as time ticked away. With under a minute left in regulation, Morales delivered a strike from 15 yards out to Anthony Oteri in the end zone.
His pass to Espinosa on the two-point conversion made it a three-point deficit.
East Union tried another on-side kick and nearly came up with the ball.
"No doubt we would've scored," said Daniels.
Instead, Trevor Mulumba of Patterson managed to wrestle the ball away to preserve the win.
The Lancers started the game on a high note.
Returner Jackson Fay took opening kickoff by going the distance. His 87-yard run gave East Union the early lead.
After that, Patterson answered back by taking advantage of blown defensive coverages by EU, which led to scores.
Daniels said it will be important to focus on improving parts of the game in going forward.
"We have to first focus on ourselves," he said, as his Lancers prepare to take on Oakdale next week.
