In Saturday’s game, the Fullerton College Hornets overcome obstacles on both sides of the football field, winning 41-7, despite being called for 20 penalties totaling over 152-penalty yards on the field.
Hornets defense showed up by limiting the Allan Hancock Bulldogs to 123-yards passing and allowing only 3 net-total rushing yards for the entire game.
“Coach Crooks made a good game plan of stopping the run and we executed that accordingly,” freshman defensive end Chandler Brown said.
Fullerton started the game with a two-minute opening drive into the Bulldogs territory, taking just six plays to gain 75-yards.
Photo Credit: Jim McCormack Photo credit: Jim McCormack
Freshman quarterback Chandler Galban flung a pass to sophomore wide receiver Koi Thomas for a 44-yd play.
Fullerton completed the electrifying first drive with sophomore running back Brandon Rankins bulldozing into the end zone for a 7-yd touchdown rushing.
The defense started out strong for Fullerton with a quick three and out. And, freshman running back Ryan Black had an incredible 60-yard TD for the Hornets putting the Bulldogs’ deficit of 14 points.
Fullerton sophomore DB Jordan Wright caused Bulldogs freshman receiver Mike McCoy to fumble the ball. The ball was recovered by the Hornets’ giving the offense a good field position.
Tra Edwards, another Hornet freshman QB, had a 24-yd touchdown rushing. Fullerton had a commanding 21-0 lead with about four minutes left in the first quarter.
The Hornets continued their performance in the second quarter with quarterback Edwards leading the drive and freshman kicker Ceasar Velazquez nailing a 19-yard field goal to bring the score to 24-0.
Next, Fullerton fumbled the ball on a punt and gave the Bulldogs’ possession right at their 6-yd line.
College of the Canyons sophomore running back Christian Erickson took advantage of this mistake and ran it in for a TD putting the first Bulldogs points on the board.
Mistakes and eight penalties in the first half totaled 70-yards against the Hornets’ contributing to the Bulldogs’ score with Fullerton managing to hang on to the lead. The Hornets had a comfortable 24-7 lead going into halftime.
Fullerton kicked off to Allan Hancock to start the third quarter, forcing the Bulldogs to punt. Following the punt, penalties on offense continued to hold back College of The Canyons.
Fullerton freshman linebacker Isaac Hurtado was able to strip-sack Bulldogs QB Esekielu Storer to give the Hornets possession right in the red zone.
Hornet Rankins ran into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown with under nine minutes left in the third quarter for a 31-7 lead.
Despite a roughing-the-passer personal foul that lead the Bulldogs offense into Fullerton territory the Hornets’ defense continued to dominate and did not allow the Bulldogs to score.
QB Galban completed a pass to Ryan Black for a gain of 45-yards and the Hornets overcame penalties on offense with Galban running into the Bulldogs’ red zone for a 24-yard gain. Galban finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rushing.
The fourth quarter clock counted down and the Hornets kicked a field goal with less than seven minutes left to increase their lead to the final score of 41-7.
“Politely question some of those penalties…however, we managed to overcome,” Coach Garrett Campbell said, “[The Hornets’] played hard, had to play unique…whistle to whistle, and that’s what we did on both sides of the ball.”
The Hornets are looking to continue their winning streak this coming Saturday against El Camino College as they take on the Warriors on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.