Strunz Gets Hot as Canyon Wins in Rout

Canyon quarterback Gunnar Strunz had the hot hand, throwing four touchdown passes to lead the Comanches to to a 41-7 nonleague victory over Buena Park Friday night at El Modena High.

Strunz, a junior, hit 12 of 16 passes for 174 yards and was intercepted once. Canyon (2-0) rolled to a 34-7 first-half lead after scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter to turn the game into a rout.

The Comanches piled up 430 yards in total offense, including 330 yards in the first half. Canyon running back Joel Reese, another junior, also picked up big numbers with 138 yards in eight carries, including second-quarter touchdown runs of 23 and 77 yards. Canyon amassed 256 yards rushing.

Strunz hit wide receiver Paul Bottiaux for first-quarter touchdowns of 10 and 50 yards. Casey Wilson kicked the extra point after the second score for a 13-0 Comanche lead.

Reese scored his first touchdown on a perfectly executed draw play that covered 23 yards to climax a 62-yard drive in the second quarter.

Buena Park (0-2) got on the scoreboard when Alan Buckley capped a 66-yard drive by hitting wide receiver Chris Stone with a 41-yard touchdown pass. Buckley also added the extra point. Stone finished the game with nine receptions for 117 yards.

Strunz hit wide receiver Todd Wyatt with a 20-yard scoring pass, and Reese circled left end for his 77-yard scoring run with 1:53 left in the first half.

Canyon’s last score came on a five-yard pass to wide receiver Ray Ramirez with 3:38 left in the third quarter.