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DIVISION IV : Arlington Wins on Fumble Return, 10-6

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Theron Conner of Riverside Arlington picked up a fumble and ran 89 yards to score the winning touchdown in the Lions’ 10-6 victory over Baldwin Park in the Southern Section Division IV championship game at Ramona High Saturday night.

In a defensive first half, Arlington took a 3-0 lead on a 34-yard field goal by Ryan Bradford with 4:02 left in the second quarter.

Baldwin Park dominated early in the second half. The Braves drove inside Arlington’s 20-yard line before Fernando Arredondo’s fumble was recovered by Conner, who ran untouched down the Baldwin Park sideline to give the Lions a 10-0 lead.

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“I knew that he fumbled and it was just laying there,” Conner said. “The ref even said that he was wondering when I was going to pick it up.”

Conner’s play turned out to be crucial in the fourth quarter after Baldwin Park’s Jerry Sims returned an interception to the Arlington seven-yard line, setting up a five-yard touchdown run by Arredondo to cut the Lions’ lead to 10-6.

After a punt by Arlington, Baldwin Park threatened late in the fourth quarter with an 11-play, 56-yard drive that began on its nine-yard line. But Arlington stopped the Braves on downs to preserve the victory.

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“We really held together as one unit at the end,” Conner said. “We knew that the game was on the line.”

Arlington, which finishes with an 11-3 record, won its second Southern Section title. The Lions defeated Riverside Rubidoux, 23-8, for the 1981 title. Baldwin Park finished at 10-3-1.

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