Anuu Takes the Outside Route to Lead Santa Ana’s Victory

Slotback Terry Anuu, Santa Ana’s Mr. Outside Friday night, was too much for Edison. He scored three touchdowns to lead the Saints to a 34-16 Sunset League victory over the Chargers at Huntington Beach High.

Santa Ana (3-5, 3-1) won its third consecutive game behind a strong rushing attack featuring Anuu on the outside and running backs Kevin Pola and Armando Gonzales up the middle. The Saints’ offensive line opened holes between the tackles all night for Pola and Gonzales, who combined to rush for 144 yards in 28 carries.

When Edison’s defense began cheating in to plug up the middle, Santa Ana went to Anuu. He scored his first touchdown on a 16-yard end run in the first quarter after Pola’s straight-ahead rushing had blasted Santa Ana downfield.

In the second quarter, Santa Ana’s inside game again set up a big play by Anuu. Pola and Gonzales took turns hammering the middle of Edison’s defense to move the ball to the Charger 24-yard line. Quarterback Joey Martinez then hit Anuu with a touchdown pass when Anuu outleaped two Charger defenders at the goal line.

The Saints expanded their 14-3 halftime lead late in the third quarter when Pola took the ball from Edison (4-4, 2-2) quarterback John Khamis, who was attempting a handoff in the backfield, and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.

Anuu clinched the victory with 6:39 left in the game when he scored on a 19-yard run, the identical play to his first-quarter score, to make it 26-10.