Things Worse Than Expected at Fullerton

Fullerton College’s football team didn’t have many experienced players returning this season, and the Hornet coaching staff knew things would be difficult at times.

But not this difficult.

Fullerton is 0-4 for the first time in the history of the program.

The Hornets started their season with a 28-9 loss at Long Beach, followed by a 40-9 drubbing at home against El Camino. The Hornets then went to Pasadena and played well but lost, 17-6, then lost again at home to Palomar, 31-18.

It might be of little comfort to Fullerton, but its four opponents have a combined record of 13-3-1.

The Hornets’ troubles have been equally distributed between their offense, which is averaging 264 yards, and their defense, which has allowed 373.

Fullerton has turned the ball over 15 times and taken it from opponents only five. The result? The Hornets have been outscored, 54-8, off of turnovers.

“We think our effort is good,” co-Coach Glenn Thomas said, “but when you’re 0-4, you’re not going to be the most positive, emotional team. . . . We are an improved team, but we need a victory. That would get us well very, very quickly.”

Fullerton will need an outstanding effort to win on Saturday as the Hornets travel to Saddleback for a 7 p.m. Mission Conference Central Division game. Saddleback is the top-ranked team in the J.C. Grid-Wire national rankings.

“The most important thing right now is that the staff and the players are working really hard,” Thomas said.

Thomas and Marv Sampson took over this season when Hal Sherbeck retired after 31 years and a record of 241-71-3. Sherbeck’s victory total is the most in the nation.

The Fullerton staff has stayed in contact with Sherbeck, who is spending his time building a home on Flathead Lake in Montana.

“We talk to him once every week,” Thomas said. “He is bleeding for us and dying for the program. I really look forward to talking to him each time. I just wish we had better news.”

Bad news bands: The Golden West-Orange Coast football rivalry has been clean but hard-hitting for most of the 27 meetings between the schools, but there was an ugly off-field incident in the latest game between the district rivals Saturday.

Late in the fourth quarter of OCC’s 29-0 victory, Golden West tailback Derek Ragsdale went down hard after being cleanly hit by three OCC tacklers. Ragsdale, who had a mild neck injury, stayed on his side and back for more than two minutes, while Golden West trainer Chip Marchbank and his staff worked away.

A moment or two after Ragsdale went down, a few members of OCC’s pep band broke into the first few notes of “Taps” on their own.

The incident upset many fans, as well as OCC Coach Bill Workman.

“Playing ‘Taps’ when someone is hurt is classless,” Workman said. “The band leader didn’t call for it. It was an impromptu thing by a few instruments. I don’t control the band. I don’t know if anybody does.”

Fullerton’s band took a little good-natured shot at the Hornets Saturday as well. Late in the game during Palomar’s victory, the public address announcer informed the crowd that Fullerton would play its next two games on the road. The band broke into “Hit the Road, Jack.”

Football poll: Saddleback (5-0) remains the top-ranked team in the nation and the Southland Poll.

Pasadena (5-0) is second in the Southland, followed by Moorpark (4-0) third, Mt. San Antonio (4-1) fourth, El Camino (3-1) fifth, San Bernardino Valley (4-0-1) sixth, Orange Coast (4-1) seventh, L.A. Harbor (4-0) eighth, Palomar (3-1) ninth and Cerritos (4-1) 10th.

Besides Fullerton at Saddleback Saturday, Riverside plays Golden West at OCC at 7 p.m. in another Mission Conference Central Division game.

Rancho Santiago (1-3) plays at El Camino (3-1) at 7 p.m., and Orange Coast has a bye.