Martineau Carries Kennedy to Victory Over Buena Park

With starting quarterback Brad Sabol on the sideline with a knee injury, Kennedy asked fullback Darin Martineau to carry the brunt of the offense Thursday against Buena Park.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior took the request literally, running for 218 yards and three touchdowns in 29 carries as the Fighting Irish rolled past the Coyotes, 29-3, at Buena Park High.

Martineau carried on 18 of Kennedy’s first 22 plays and had 100 yards with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

“We needed to run the football tonight,” Kennedy Coach Mitch Olson said. “The line wanted to give him 150 yards, and he ran real hard.”

Kennedy’s first drive ended with an interception of Tom Haas’ first pass attempt by Buena Park’s Ruben Gasso. But the Fighting Irish (4-1) got the ball back when Cliff Palmer intercepted Brian McDonald’s pass in the end zone. Kennedy then gave the ball to Martineau, again and again.

Martineau drove Kennedy 80 yards in seven carries, scoring from 10 yards out with 1:16 left in the first quarter.

He scored again with 2:37 left in the half on a five-yard run up the middle.

Buena Park’s Arthur Frazier intercepted another Haas pass with 47 seconds left. Jude Reyes’ 33-yard field goal as time expired cut Kennedy’s lead to 14-3 at halftime.