ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: PREP EXTRA : Fullerton Edges Sonora to Finish Freeway Sweep

The full-fledged return of Fullerton as a football power is complete.

By virtue of a 21-14 victory against spirited by mistake-prone Sonora, before an estimated 1,200 at La Habra High, the Indians (9-1, 5-0 in league) won their first outright Freeway League title since 1983.

On a night when Indians running back John Wilkie was held to 68 yards, and Fullerton was kept to 243 total yards as a team, receiver Michael Garner became the hero.

Garner caught only two passes, but both went for touchdowns. The first, a 28-yard reception, gave Fullerton a first quarter lead. The second catch, good for nine yards, came with 7 minutes 50 seconds to play and was the winning margin.

“I’m so proud,” Garner said. “We knew this would be a tough game, but going undefeated in league really meant something to every one of us.”

It was also special for fourth-year Coach Julian Smilowitz, but he preferred all the attention go to the players.

“We tried to put the kids in a place where they could be successful, and they responded all year,” Smilowitz said. “I don’t care where we’re seeded. One of our goals was to get a home game for the playoffs, and now we’ve got it.”

Win or lose Thursday, Sonora Coach Mark Takkinen planned to submit the paperwork to try and get the Raiders (5-5, 2-3) an at-large playoff berth.. But that won’t be easy as the Freeway League’s fourth place team with a .500 overall record.

And the Raiders only have themselves to blame, because two key turnovers might have decided their fate.

A 7-7 first half tie was broken with 1:40 left in the first half when Sonora quarterback Kevin Rodriguez, about to be plowed under by the Indians pass rush at his own five-yard line, blindly threw the ball out toward the right sideline. It settled into the hands of linebacker Joseph Emigh at the 29, and he avoided three tacklers on the way to the touchdown.

It was Rodriguez’s 13th interception this season. He threw another pass that was intercepted at the end of the first half, and attempted only one pass in the second half.

The other critical gaffe came in the fourth quarter. Running back Shawn Brass, who tied the score in the third on a 26-yard run, fumbled a punt at his own 44, and it was recovered by Mike Sailhamer. Fullerton then drove to the nine, where quarterback Gabriel Almanza found Garner slanting across the middle for the winning touchdown.