MORENO VALLEY — The Orange Vista football team scored 20 points before 8 minutes of game time had elapsed Thursday. Yet with over 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, Vista del Lago trailed just 23-21. All the attempted comeback did, though, was restart the slumbering Orange Vista engine, as the Coyotes steamrolled the final 22 minutes of play for a 43-21 Ivy League win at Vista del Lago High School. “It’s weird, because you have to catch yourself when you get up fast like that,” Orange Vista coach Greg Zomalt said. “You have to caution yourself from feeling too comfortable, just knowing that at some point they’re going to get their bearings.” After forcing a punt on the game’s opening drive, the Coyotes (4-4 overall, 3-0 in league) took over at the Vista del Lago 48 and expeditiously drove for a touchdown as junior quarterback Khalil Abdul-Aziz connected with senior wide receiver Dionte West for the 13-yard score. Seconds later, Orange Vista had the ball from the Vista del Lago 41 after recovering a hybrid squib-onside kick that fooled the Ravens. The Coyotes reached the 8-yard line one play later after a long completion before the game’s leading rusher in sophomore Preston Yen scored from the 5-yard line. The special teams struggles – which plagued both teams – continued in earnest for Vista del Lago (6-2, 1-2) after its punter was tackled at its own 5-yard line, setting up an easy score to put Orange Vista up 20-0. “We got some stuff we got to clean up, especially special teams,” Vista del Lago coach Michael Tuohy said. “But I’m proud of the guys for fighting.” The Ravens finally answered back on a drive largely powered by a 56-yard scramble from freshman quarterback Josiah Dupree-Boyd, who finished the possession himself on a keeper from the 1. Orange Vista picked up a field goal to make it 23-7, but Abdul-Aziz threw an interception to Bolanos – his second of the game – which the Ravens didn’t squander as Dupree-Boyd led another touchdown drive. The comeback continued into the second half when Orange Vista muffed the opening kickoff and turned it over to Vista del Lago, which took advantage of the short field as Dupree-Boyd recorded his second passing touchdown to make it 23-21. From there, though, the Coyotes’ running attack took over. “We were just watching all the blitzes coming in, picking up all their crosses,” Yen said. “When we picked that up, that’s when we knew we should start running the ball.” Related Articles High School Sports | Efrain Hernandez boots Moreno Valley football team to victory over Perris High School Sports | Rancho Christian football team holds off Arlington High School Sports | Banning football team blanks Desert Hot Springs in Sun Valley opener High School Sports | King girls golf team beats Roosevelt, claims share of Big VIII League title High School Sports | San Gorgonio football program’s Aden ‘A-Dog’ Pawlowicz exemplifies character, perseverance and reliability After combining for just 66 yards in the first half, Yen and running back Jordan Canada rushed for 131 in the second half. Abdul-Aziz added on with 41 yards and a score, while sophomore Dammien Bias became the go-to threat on the goal line as he scored twice on three carries. Orange Vista’s defense stifled Vista del Lago as two touchdown drives were preceded by a blocked punt and a turnover on downs. And after going up 43-21, the Coyotes simply ran out the clock en route to their third league win.