QB Aidan Houston leads Cypress football to win over El Modena
Houston passes for a touchdown and runs for a TD in the Centurions’ 31-14 win.
Aidan Houston (15) of Cypress celebrates after scoring against El Modena in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
ANAHEIM – Cypress quarterback Aidan Houston threw a touchdown pass and ran for a TD, and the Centurions special teams scored a touchdown in a 31-14 win over El Modena in a nonleague football game Thursday at Western High.
Houston rushed for 82 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown run, and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Michael Hubbard.
Brady Sjostrom (12) of Cypress deflects the past to Ryan Holzgang (1) of El Modena n a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Connor Smith (3) of El Modena breaks up the pass to Matthew Baldonado (29)
of Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Greg Koutures (8) of El Modena fumbles the ball which lead to a Cypress touchdown in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Brodie Hitchens (8) grabs the jersey of Jesse Mauldin (3) of El Modena of Cypress to bring him down in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Destin Sanchez (6) of Cypress gains yardage against El Modena in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Trent Vallejos (6) of El Modena celebrates with after scoring a touchdown against Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Modena students cheer for their team against Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Trent Vallejos (6) of El Modena catches a pass for a touchdown against the defense of Cameron Smalls (18) of Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aidan Houston (15) of Cypress celebrates after scoring against El Modena in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Greg Koutures (8)El Modena runs for yardage against of Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Michael Hubbard (5) celebrates with Jake Porteneuve (2) after scoring a touchdown against of El Modena of Cypress in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Qurterback Aidan Houston (15) of Cypress scrambles against the defense of El Modena in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress students cheer for their team against El Modena in a football game at Western High School in Anaheim on Thursday, August 31, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Thirty-eight of the game’s 45 points were scored in the second quarter.
Centurions coach Rick Feldman said it was a typical game for Houston, a senior who was an Empire League most valuable player last season. He lamented the number of injuries incurred during the hard-hitting game.
“Aidan was outstanding as usual,” Feldman said. “Lost a starting tackle during the game. Shoot, we lost three or four guys during the game.”
Cypress QB Aidan Houston talks about the Centurions’ 31-14 win over El Modena … pic.twitter.com/2dzSuSpTcS
It was 24-14 at halftime. All 38 first-half points were scored in the final 8:40 of the second quarter.
Houston floated a pass perfectly to Hubbard in stride to get Cypress the game’s first points.
El Modena’s Greg Koutures returned the following kickoff 92 yards to the Cypress 7-yard line and two plays later quarterback Xzavior Guess connected with Trent Vallejos for a 1-yard touchdown pass to tie it.
Cypress regained the lead on a 47-yard touchdown run by Houston, who showed his breakaway speed and change-of-direction skills on the play.
Guess did his thing, too, flying for a 72-yard touchdown sprint to make it 14-14.
A Cypress punt was fumbled by El Modena on the return attempt, with Matthew Baldonado grabbing the bouncing football at the El Modena 10 and carrying it in for a touchdown and a 21-14 Cypress lead.
“Tyler White made the big hit,” Feldman said of the collision that forced the fumble. “And he’s a little kid.”
White is listed as 5-8, 175.
The Centurions’ Logan Kennedy kicked a 28-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the half for a 24-14 halftime lead.
The third quarter was scoreless. With the win secured, the Centurions handed off to Rocco Burdett, who mostly plays linebacker where he was outstanding on Thursday, but plays fullback in short-yardage situations. Burdett ran 37 yards for a touchdown in the final minute.
Guess finished with 172 yards passing and 120 yards rushing.
The Centurions play a home game Friday, Sept. 8, against Lawndale. El Modena plays at Segerstrom on Friday, Sept. 8.
