Sunny Hills’ First Half Buries Buena Park

After lending the Freeway League title to Buena Park for one year, Sunny Hills began the repossession process Friday night with a 34-12 victory over the Coyotes in the league opener for both teams at Buena Park High.

The Lancers (5-1, 1-0 in league) jumped to a big first-half lead and cruised the rest of the way in front of a Sunny Hills homecoming crowd of 2,500. The victory puts the league favorite Lancers, who won back-to-back league championships in 1989 and ‘90, on course to reclaim the title.

It also showed the Lancers can bounce back after being pounded, 42-0, last week by Esperanza, the county’s top-rated team, in a nonleague game.

“They (Lancers) didn’t care too much for last week’s result,” Sunny Hills Coach Tim Devaney said. “We needed to get well. We played well both offensively and defensively.”

Especially early in the game.

Sunny Hills jumped to a 7-0 lead with 3 minutes 37 seconds left in the first quarter when quarterback Bobby Sunderland connected with tight end Brian Willmer on a 60-yard pass play.

The Lancers then added touchdowns by wide receiver Richard Sanchez on a three-yard pass from Sunderland and on a 38-yard run by James Tindukasiri to increase their lead to 21-0 midway through the second quarter.

Buena Park (0-6, 0-1), the defending league champion, cut the lead by six when quarterback Alan Buckley and wide receiver Chris Stone hooked up on a 44-yard pass play. Stone had two more receptions and led all receivers with 88 yards.

Sunny Hills padded their cushion to 34-6 at halftime on touchdown runs of three and four yards by Jacob Cuccia. The second score was set up when Sunderland intercepted a Buckley pass at midfield. Sunderland then hit running back Jeff Willis on a 47-yard pass play to gave Sunny Hills a first and goal at the Buena Park four.

Junior running back George McDonald, who led the Coyotes in rushing with 53 yards in 19 carries, scored with 4:06 to play in the third quarter.

The Lancer defense allowed Buckley to pass for a game-high 189 yards, but also intercepted five of his passes, two by defensive back Peter Rodriguez. His first interception on the Sunny Hills 14-yard line early in the third quarter killed a promising Buena Park drive.

Another Coyote threat midway through the fourth quarter ended when linebacker Aaron Winkler picked off a Buckley pass at the Sunny Hills 20-yard line.

Sunderland, who sat out the second half, finished with four completions in seven attempts for 115 yards and Cuccia led Sunny Hills in rushing with 63 yards in 10 carries.