Savanna’s Misdirection Fools Katella

Savanna used some well-timed misdirection to change its early-season fortunes with a 31-21 victory over Katella in a nonleague game Thursday at Glover Stadium.

Savanna (1-1) opened the season last week with a 41-9 loss to Garden Grove. Katella (1-1) opened with a 49-0 drubbing of Magnolia.

But Thursday, the Rebels took an 18-7 lead when quarterback Paul Waldrop completed a 48-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Rani Kahouch with 34 seconds left in the half.

Katella fumbled on its first possession of the second half and Savanna recovered on the Knights’ 30. The Rebels scored four plays later on a seven-yard run by Daven King with 8:44 left in the third quarter to take a 24-7 lead. Savanna missed its first four extra-point tries.

But the key play in the drive came when Mike Flores took a reverse and ran 17 yards to the Katella seven on a third and four.

Flores had scored on the same reverse play from 15 yards away as Savanna took a 12-7 lead with 5:45 left in the second quarter.

Katella rallied behind quarterback Jaret Wright. His 18-yard touchdown pass to Eric Gardiner cut the lead to 24-14 with 3:17 left in the third quarter. But Waldrop completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to Flores and Savanna took a 31-14 lead on the last play of the third quarter.

Gardiner and Wright teamed for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 6:54 left in the game, but Savanna was able to run out the clock.