Saddleback Backs Up Comments of Coach

Before the start of the season, Saddleback Coach Bill Cunerty went on and on about the Gauchos’ much improved running attack.

Last season, the ground game was so weak that Saddleback switched to a five-receiver formation dubbed “the squirrel derby,” and ended the season with a six-game winning streak.

But the running game was revitalized Saturday as Saddleback beat host Orange Coast, 59-20, in a Mission Conference Central Division football game.

Saddleback, ranked fourth in the nation by the J.C. Grid-Wire, rushed for 124 yards in the first half and finished the game with 410 and six touchdowns.

Brian Singleton had 106 yards in 11 carries. Mark Reynosa gained 69 yards in six carries, Enrico Bozman picked up 63 yards in eight carries and Beau Wallace rushed for 58 yards in seven tries.

“Our running game was nonexistent last year,” Cunerty said. “We worked hard to remedy that . . . It’s a very unselfish group,” Cunerty said. “They don’t care who carries the ball.”

Saddleback’s ground game was at its best in the second half. Saddleback led, 28-0, after one quarter and quickly upped it to 35-7, early in the third quarter.

The Gauchos started the second half at their 29, and needed only four plays--all runs--to score. Singleton had runs of four and 22 yards and Reynosa had runs of 21 and 24 yards. Reynosa’s 24-yarder was good for a touchdown.

The improved running game also allowed sophomore quarterback Justin Vedder to sit back and pick his targets in 2 1/2 quarters.

Vedder was 15 of 23 for 205 yards. He had scoring throws of 15 yards to Peter Campbell and 23 yards to Gabe Payne to account for Saddleback’s first two touchdowns.

Orange Coast’s Williams League was limited to 51 yards in 16 carries and it was the worst loss in Orange Coast Coach Bill Workman’s 11 seasons.

In other Mission Conference football games:

El Camino 29, Golden West 21--El Camino scored 14 unanswered points to defeat Golden West (0-1) in the Mission Conference opener. Derrick Norris scored on a one-yard run to give El Camino a 22-21 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter. Bobby Wilson scored from three yards midway through the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

The Rustlers opened an early 14-0 lead in the second quarter on touchdowns passes of 16 and 17 yards by quarterback Brian Baughman. He completed 19 passes for 262 yards.

Damion Ward completed 23 of 38 passes for 283 yards and one touchdown for El Camino (1-0).

Long Beach 44, Fullerton 31--Paul Waldrop completed 18 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns but had three interceptions as Fullerton (0-1, 0-1) lost to Long Beach in a Mission Conference game.

Fullerton fell behind, 10-0, early in the second quarter but came back with a 35-yard touchdown reception by Chris Young and a 47-yard field goal by Chris Diaz to tie it, 10-10, at the half.

Long Beach (1-0, 1-0) outscored Fullerton, 10-0, in the third quarter and scored the first touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 25-yard run by Jeffery Williams to take a 27-10 lead.

Fullerton answered with a 48-yard touchdown reception by Pat Swanson but Chris Covington returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to push the lead to 34-17.

The teams traded scores for the rest of the fourth quarter, but Fullerton couldn’t get closer than 11 points.

The Hornets got outstanding performances from their top two receivers. Young had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns and Swanson had four catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns.