Fumble Recovery Helps Buena Park Win, 17-7

A key fumble recovery led to Buena Park’s winning touchdown as the Coyotes beat Freeway League rival La Habra, 17-7, Friday at Buena Park.

With Buena Park leading, 10-7, midway through the fourth quarter, La Habra running back Jacob Gomez fumbled the handoff from quarterback Kheang Chung, and David Fuentes recovered the ball on La Habra’s 17-yard line. Three plays later, the Coyotes, in a fourth-and-two situation, decided to go for it. Quarterback Alan Buckley wriggled forward for a first down, and on the next play, threw a bullet pass to Jamal Allen for the touchdown.

Both teams scored in the second quarter. La Habra’s Gomez scored on a one-yard run to cap a 12-play, 51-yard drive. Buena Park answered on its next possession, as George McDonald scored from the three-yard line, after the Coyotes went 72 yards in 16 plays. Estaban Chavez kicked a 36-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.

Slippery field conditions resulted in a low-scoring game. “The field conditions kind of played into our hands,” Buena Park Coach Russ McHale said. “We felt we could run the ball.”

This was hardly the case in the first quarter, as Buena Park gained only 25 rushing yards and amassed 25 yards in penalties. But that was better than La Habra (2-6, 1-2), which did not pick up any first-quarter rushing yards, and was held to 10 yards on the ground.

Buena Park (2-1, 2-6) has won its last two games, and McHale said the team has “high aspirations for its league finish.”

“Second place, that’s what we’re shooting for,” he said. “We’re looking to finish the season 4-1.”