PREP FOOTBALL : Sea View League : Saddleback Wins After Slow Start

Saddleback High School stumbled and fumbled in Santa Ana Stadium for most of three quarters Thursday night, but the Roadrunners scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and defeated Corona del Mar, 28-7, in the Sea View League opener for both.

The Roadrunners, Orange County’s No. 2-ranked team, had five turnovers--three fumbles and two interceptions--and were penalized 9 times for 105 yards. Saddleback (1-0, 6-0) also lost two first-half touchdowns because of penalties.

The Sea Kings (0-1, 2-4) were supposed to be overmatched against the defending Southern Section champions but late in the third quarter were driving toward a possible tie.

The drive started when Saddleback running back Nate Primous, the game’s leading rusher with 185 yards in 17 carries, including a 52-yard touchdown run on the game’s third play, fumbled after a two-yard gain on the Roadrunner 42 with 3:15 left in the third quarter. The ball was recovered by linebacker Jim Kniest.

The Sea Kings were able to move to the Saddleback 10, then were faced with a fourth-and-two.

Running back Sean Woolsey leaped over the right side but was inches short of the first down.

The Roadrunners then drove 92 yards in 7 plays and scored on a 32-yard pass from quarterback Mark Therien to wide receiver Hector Santa Cruz for a 21-7 lead.

Therien was 7 of 14 for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also completed scoring passes of 27 yards to Danny Ontiveros in the second quarter and 20 yards to Billy Thurmond late in the fourth quarter.

Corona del Mar scored in the third quarter on a six-yard run by Matt Patterson. The drive was set up when the Sea Kings’ Todd Katovsich recovered a fumble on the Saddleback 34.