ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Freeway League : Despite Errors, La Habra Holds On to Beat Sonora

La Habra High School’s campaign to win its fifth consecutive Freeway League title got off to a promising start Friday night with a 13-6 victory over Sonora at La Habra Stadium.

The victory did not come easily, however, as the Highlanders (3-3, 1-0) turned the ball over five times in the game and had to stop the Raiders on the game’s final play to hold on for the win.

Sonora rallied from a 13-0 deficit late in the game when running back Scott Tibbets scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter. The Raider touchdown drive covered 35 yards and was set up moments earlier when La Habra quarterback Al Razo fumbled a snap and Kyle Schaetzl recovered for the Raiders.

Sonora got the ball on its 25-yard line with 48 seconds left, and quarterback Billy Robb used short sideline passes to march the Raiders to the La Habra 19-yard line with one second left. Robb’s final pass into the end zone was knocked away by Razo.

“We got it (the win), and that’s all that matters,” said La Habra Coach Bob Rau. “We gave them some opportunities and they took advantage of them. Sonora is a good team, and I’ll be shocked if they don’t make the playoffs.”

La Habra took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Razo hit wide receiver Eric Zimmerman with a 37-yard touchdown pass. The Highlanders’ other touchdown came on a 102-yard interception return by Tim Moore in the second quarter.