Foothill Puts the Cap on Perfect League Mark

Foothill and Orange did their best impression of a high-scoring Western Athletic Conference game Friday night. When it ended, the teams had more than 800 yards in offense and 75 points.

The Knights cashed in four Orange turnovers in the first half and cruised to a 48-27 victory over the Panthers in the regular-season finale at El Modena High.

The victory, Foothill’s seventh in a row, allowed the Knights (7-3, 5-0) to win the Century title outright and go undefeated in league for the first time in nine years.

Foothill finished with 408 yards of offense, while Orange piled up 394.

“I wish we could have had a better defensive showing heading into the playoffs,” Foothill Coach Tom Meiss said. “I don’t like giving up that many points.”

Imagine how Orange feels. Foothill took a 28-0 first-half lead, and all four touchdowns were scored after Orange (2-8, 0-5), which had five turnovers, fumbled. Orange tailback Jamie Worthem, who had 206 yards and three touchdowns in 28 carries, fumbled three times.

Both teams struggled offensively early. Defensive back Joe Greco gave Foothill a 7-0 lead when he returned a fumble 22 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter. Foothill broke it open in the second quarter, scoring 21 points. Quarterback Kevin Daft and running back Tramel Robinson each scored on touchdown runs. Daft also threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Paul King.

“I think it would have been a different game had they not fumbled so much,” Meiss said. “They just really laid it out there for us.”