Opportunity Knocks, Brea-Olinda Answers

Brea-Olinda High School Coach Jon Looney received a phone call from assistant Randy Worthington at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

“We’re in,” he said.

Looney was told Tuesday morning by Jean Sullivan, one of Brea’s two principals, that the Wildcats had a chance to go to the Southern Section Division VI playoffs because Savanna had been ousted for using an ineligible player.

“At 9:00 Friday morning, we still didn’t know for sure that we were going,” Looney said.

But Brea capitalized on the short notice and routed Fullerton, 35-6, Friday night.

“We had been upset that we didn’t get into the playoffs,” Looney said. “So I told the team, ‘Now you’ve got the chance, make the most of it.’ We’ve been waiting all year to play our best game.”

The Wildcats came out firing at the start of the first quarter. Running back Ed Stewart scored on a 20-yard run with 10:15 still left to play

But Fullerton answered with a five-yard pass from quarterback Rene Arias to Glenn Eggert two minutes later.

A 37-yard field goal by Hernandez gave the Wildcats a four-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Fullerton was not heard from again.

Stewart, meanwhile, went on a rampage, scoring four times for the Wildcats and amassing 109 yards on 17 carries.

Stewart scored three times in the second quarter on runs of four, two and four yards to give the Wildcats a 29-6 lead at halftime.

Looney credited his 17 returning lettermen, seven of whom are two-year veterans, for the victory.

“It wasn’t like young kids who never played much,” he said. “They knew what it would take to do this. We had two days to prepare, and to come out like this was just outstanding. I’m so proud of the kids.

“A cat’s got nine lives, and we used one of ours the other day and got into the playoffs,” Looney said. “We wanted to prove we deserved to be here, and I think we did.”