Sonora’s Fast Start Leaves Stunned Santiago Far Behind

The final statistics won’t verify it, but Santiago was never in contention in its 45-27 nonleague loss to Sonora Thursday night at Garden Grove.

Even though Santiago (0-2) out-gained Sonora (1-1) by 119 yards, the game was essentially over within 14 seconds, the time it took Adam Chez to run back the opening kickoff.

Chez, the Raiders’ quarterback, muffed the kickoff, picked up the ball at his own five and went untouched up the middle.

“I think that’s got to be a record for us,” Sonora Coach Mark Takkenin said.

Spirits soon dropped on the Santiago sideline and weren’t lifted again until the game was out of hand. Santiago quarterback Christian Cortez fumbled the second snap from scrimmage, Sonora linebacker Eric Julin recovered and the rout was on. Sonora running back Robbie Grigsby scored four plays later on a 33-yard bootleg pass from Chez.