Third quarter ruins Coyote upset threat

Manuel Guillen/The Madera Tribune

Madera’s Jacob Garcia (17) celebrates with Tommy Molina after a touchdown during Friday’s loss to Bullard.

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The Madera Coyotes football team finds itself right there with the heavyweights in the County/Metro Athletic Conference, but can’t find its way over the top.

The same can be said about Friday’s 49-27 loss to the Bullard-Fresno Knights in Sunnyside Stadium.

The Coyotes found themselves trailing 21-14 to the Knights heading into the halftime break.

However, after the break, the Knights scored on a two-yard run, a 75-yard run and an interception return for a touchdown. Bullard also scored on a 63-yard touchdown run for the clinching touchdown.

The Coyotes scored twice in the fourth quarter to close, but the damage had been done.

Despite the loss, the Coyotes outgained the Knights 449-360 and ran 50 more plays than the Knights.

However, the Coyotes couldn’t overcome the Knights’ big plays and three turnovers.

Madera returns home this week to face the San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno Panthers on Senior Night before hosting the Madera South Stallions in the Stadium Road Showdown on Oct. 26.