BENICIA HIGH’S Mario Ferreira (14) gives Jenalynn Beard a kiss after the couple were crowned Homecoming King and Queen on Friday in Vallejo.

Cavon Etter scored three touchdowns and Devin Holden threw TD passes to three different receivers as Benicia High’s varsity football team cruised to a 35-6 Homecoming victory over host Vallejo on Friday at Corbus Field.

It was the largest margin of victory this season for the Panthers, who improved to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in the Solano County Athletic Conference. The 35 points were easily a season high while the defense held an opponent under 14 points for only the second time all year.

“It’s a great feeling,” Etter said of the victory. “I was just focused on getting a win because we needed it.”

Etter set a team season high with 128 yards rushing on only seven carries. Holden had his best night of the season, completing 11-of-16 passes for a season-high 193 yards and touchdown tosses to Etter, Kyani McFall and Xavier Judkins.

“He threw the ball well and controlled the game well,” head coach Craig Holden said of his son and senior quarterback.

Benicia’s defense gave up several long drives to Vallejo (1-6, 0-2 SCAC) but allowed only a 24-yard TD run by Byron Thomas for an early 6-0 Redhawks lead. The Panthers – who had a 79-yard TD pass to McFall get called back on a penalty on their opening possession – quickly responded when Etter raced 54 yards to set up his own 3-yard scoring run on the first play of the second quarter. Cody King, who went 4-for-4 on extra points, gave Benicia a 7-6 lead.

The Panthers scored again on their next two possessions, Holden finding McFall down the middle for a 60-yard scoring strike and Etter hauling in a 29-yard TD pass to make it 21-7. Vallejo marched to Benicia’s 7-yard line just before halftime but came up empty when Justin Williams intercepted a pass in the end zone.

Etter ran for a 20-yard touchdown on Benicia’s opening possession of the second half, and Judkins hauled in an 18-yard TD to make it 35-6. Braeden Lavezzo forced a fumble that Johnny Thymiakos recovered to thwart a potential Vallejo scoring drive, and Trae Crummie recovered a fumble with five minutes left to seal the win.

The comfortable victory gave the Panthers a chance to use their entire bench. Junior Elijah Kamiko played quarterback for the first time this season and teammate Shahin Parandeh kicked an extra point on his first attempt of the year.

Senior receiver and defensive back Mario Ferreira was crowned the Homecoming King. Jenalynn Beard was the Queen.

Benicia’s playoff fate may be decided this coming Friday when the Panthers take on Vanden in Fairfield. The Vikings (4-3, 2-0 SCAC) beat American Canyon 24-21 on Friday thanks to a field goal with 0.6 seconds remaining.

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