Weekly Hornet

Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Sports

A huge defensive stand on fourth and goal, from the 2-yard line with 4:12 left on the clock, was all the Hornets needed to secure the victory against Cerritos Saturday night at Falcon Stadium. And they got it.

Before that goal-line stand the Falcons were threatening to take the lead in the closing minutes of the game. Instead, the Hornets took over on downs and ran out the clock to defeat Cerritos for the first time in 16 years 29-23.

Four minutes into the game Hornets safety Dwight Mclean intercepted a pass from Falcons quarterback AJ Toscano. Mclean returned it 29 yards before being stripped from behind by Falcons wide receiver Ronnie Goforth, where teammate Mike Diaz recovered the ball back for Cerritos.

That was just the tip of the iceberg.

In a game where the pendulum of momentum swung briskly back and forth, both teams seemed primed for the win as each college made big plays at pivotal times of the game.

Both teams showed resilience, answering one big play with one of its own.
The running game for these two teams proved supreme, as the air attack was nonexistent.

Both teams rushed for over 275 yards, while each threw close to just 150 yards overall. Hornet running back Brandon Edwards gained 74 yards on three carries in the first quarter. On the Hornets' first play from scrimmage he broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 158 yards on 13 attempts.

"On the first play when I broke, they seemed extra slow and I just got out there. After the first play, I knew I was going to have a good night because they were so slow," said Hornets running back Brandon Edwards.

Fullerton running backs Brandon Minor and Andrew Herard combined for 100 yards and a touchdown scored by Minor from six yards out.

The Falcons (3-2) had their own beast in the running game. Running back Lorenzo Goode rushed for 233 yards on 29 carries and two scores, on 28 and 93-yard touchdown runs.

He set a Cerritos school record for the longest touchdown run with his 93-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He broke Andre Wooten's record of a 91-yard touchdown run set in 1986 against Golden West.

"It was a blessing, I felt good and I read the hole. It was right there for me so I just took off," said Falcons running back Lorenzo Goode.
The teams took turns scoring in the first half.

After Fullerton's first touchdown, Cerritos took no time to react. On the following possession, Toscano hit wide receiver Sheldon Smith on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

The teams took turns scoring until Cerritos started the second half with two unanswered rushing touchdowns by Goode that gave the Falcons a 23-21 lead.

The Hornets (4-1) would not be denied, on fourth and goal from the goal line Kyle Olson scored on a controversial quarterback sneak to regain the lead.

"We never give up, our team does good in the fourth quarter," Edwards said.

On the ensuing drive Cerritos reached the Hornets seven yard-line, when the Hornets defense came up big again, defensive lineman Coleman Goff forced a Toscano fumble and Pat Atherton recovered for the Hornets denying the Falcons any critical points.

"We did good, we did really, really good, but we didn't do enough to win the game, obviously," Goode said.

Both quarterbacks finished with similar numbers. Toscano finished 13 of 21 for 144 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Cerritos. Olson was 11 for 21, 155 yards and an interception. The Hornets' Marquis Avery, the No. 3 wide receiver in the state, was kept out of the end zone. He was held to just five catches for 57 yards.

The No. 11 ranked rushing defense of Fullerton allowed more than its 156.2 yards per game average. Due to the colossal offensive line of the Falcons, which resembled a Division 1A sized line averaging 6-4 365 pounds, wore out the defensive line of the Hornets.

The last time the Hornets started the season 4-1 was in 2004, where they reached the Golden Empire Bowl and defeated Bakersfield 24-20.
The Hornets are idle this week and prepare to take on the Golden West Rustlers on Oct. 13 at Lebard Stadium.

Fullerton 29, Cerritos 23

Fullerton 14 0 7 8 - 28
Cerritos 6 3 14 0 - 23
FC-Edwards 55 yd run(Reyes PAT)
CR-Smith 12 yd pass(Reynoso PAT failed)
FC-Guzman 2 yd run(Reyes PAT)
CR-Ochoa 28 yd field goal
CR-Goode 28 yd run(Reynoso PAT)
CR-Goode 93 yd run(Reynoso PAT)
FC-Olson 1 yd run(Reyes PAT)
FC-Minor 5 yd run(Maher pass from Avery)

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