El Modena football defeats Colony with help from early spark from Xzavier Guess

ORANGE — The offense for El Modena’s football team revolves around quarterback Xzavier Guess, and the three-year varsity starter continues to prove he is up for the task. Guess, who received several offers from Division I colleges before committing to UC Davis, completed 12 of 24 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Vanguards to a 42-27 nonleague victory over Colony on Thursday at El Modena High School. The left-handed quarterback was illusive in the pocket and when he took off up field, he confused the defense with deceptive fake handoffs and took advantage of senior receivers Connor Smith and Deron Taylor.

Guess, the North Hills League MVP in 2023 and a National Preps Showcase MVP, has thrown for 563 yards and five touchdowns through two games this season. “We’ve designed some stuff for him and he’s executing,” El Modena coach Matt Mitchell said. “He’s doing what he is supposed to do.



” Guess got into the rhythm right away, throwing two first-quarter touchdowns. He connected with Smith for a 74-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and capped an 80-yard drive later in the quarter with a 17-yard scoring pass to Taylor to give the Vanguards (2-0) a 21-0 lead. “Well before I get into anything I want to thank my coaches and my O-line,” Guess said.

“I can’t do half the things I do without them. The play calls and up front, they’ve been pretty dominant. So, I’m grateful for them and my receiver corps as well.

I have guys like Connor and Deron.” In between the Vanguards’ two passing touchdowns, Brodie Hitchens ran through a hole up the middle, cut to the right and raced 44 yards down the sideline for a touchdown for El Modena. El Modena also played better defensively than in last week’s 41-34 overtime victory over Thousand Oaks.

(The Vanguards lost to the Lancers by that exact score in the opening round of the CIF SS Division 5 playoffs last season). The Vanguards held the Titans (0-2) to 7 first-half points, helped by two early sacks and a tackle for a loss by Rey Cardenas and sacks from Lincoln Irwin and Mason Romo. In the third quarter, Ethan Sorenson came in at quarterback for one series for the Vanguards and went 3 for 3, including a 51-yard touchdown pass to Hitchens to make the score 35-7.

Elijah Ybanez scored on a 16-yard run in the fourth to get the Titans closer, but the Vanguards responded with 36-yards touchdown pass from Guess to Smith to put the game out of reach. “I like the receivers,” Mitchell said. “I like our chemistry.

I like our leadership and everybody. I think we’re doing some good things. We didn’t practice well this week, but I think that’s a learning lesson.

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