Sunny Hills Comes Alive to Win

The alarm clock was ringing for Sunny Hills High School late in the third quarter of its Southern Section Division VI playoff game against Savanna Friday night.

Sunny Hills was on the verge of blowing a two-touchdown lead, but responded with two quick scores and a 28-20 first-round victory in front of 2,500 at Buena Park High.

Third-seeded Sunny Hills (8-3) plays Newport Harbor, a 27-20 winner over San Dimas, in the second round next week.

Savanna, which made the playoffs for the first time since 1983, ends its season at 6-3-2. The Rebels were the Orange League co-champions last season, but forfeited the title and a playoff berth for using an ineligible player.

A three-yard run by Mike Sullivan in the first quarter and a one-yard run by Kenny Overby in the second gave Sunny Hills what looked like a safe, 14-0 lead. But Sunny Hills seemed bent on staying on cruise control the rest of the way and it nearly cost the Lancers.

It only took 30 seconds for the lead to shrink to 14-12.

Brook Bell’s one-yard dive into the end zone capped a 71-yard drive on Savanna’s first possession of the third quarter. The extra point missed and Savanna trailed, 14-6.

Sullivan mishandled the ensuing kickoff and Savanna recovered at the Sunny Hills 11. On the first play, Leon Landry went around left end for a touchdown.

Sunny Hills kept the lead only because quarterback Brad Belanger misfired on a two-point conversion try.

Then Sunny Hills started to wake up. The Lancers’ running game, effective early, but in slow motion since Overby’s touchdown with 10:01 left in the half, set up a 37-yard touchdown pass from Hakeim McKenzie to Stephen Choe.

McKenzie rolled right on the play while Choe slipped behind the defense. The pass was just over the hands of Savanna’s Hoan Nguyen and Hieu Nguyen.

Savanna’s next series ended when Sunny Hills’ Bobby Sunderland intercepted Belanger’s second-down pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.

In 26 seconds, Sunny Hills extended its lead to 28-12. Savanna scored a late touchdown on a one-yard run by Jeff Ragos and added a two-point pass from Belanger to Scott Bird.

Overby had 100 yards in 22 carries, Sullivan 90 yards in 21 carries and McKenzie 50 yards in 10 carries as Sunny Hills kept to the ground most of the game. McKenzie completed three of 10 passes for 80 yards.