Saddleback Remains Undefeated With Victory Over Golden West

Top-ranked Saddleback continued its undefeated season with a 45-6 victory over Golden West in an Orange Empire Conference game Saturday night in front of a homecoming crowd at Mission Viejo.

Golden West (1-5, 1-2) surrendered the ball on the opening drive when quarterback Brian Baughman threw his first of two interceptions, setting up the Gauchos’ first score. Saddleback running back Mark Reynosa, rushing for 55 yards and two touchdowns in 10 carries, scored from two yards out to give the Gauchos a 7-0 lead.

The Rustlers’ woes continued in the first quarter when Saddleback’s Brian Heintz returned a blocked punt 31 yards for a touchdown to increase the Gauchos’ lead to 14-0.

Saddleback quarterback Justin Vedder completed 10 of 15 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. His first came on a one-yard run giving Saddleback a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second came on a 24-yard pass to Adam Roman in the second quarter increasing the lead to 28-0.

Reynosa’s second touchdown came on a five-yard run midway into the second quarter. Saddleback (7-0, 3-0) closed out the second quarter with a 26-yard field goal giving it a 38-0 halftime lead.

Rustler running back Charles Chatman rushed for 82 yards in 19 carries and scored one touchdown. Chatman scored Golden West’s only points on a seven-yard run in the third quarter.

In another Orange Empire Conference game:

Palomar 46, Fullerton 31--Palomar returned two interceptions for touchdowns and one to the two-yard line, which led to a touchdown to give Palomar the victory.

Palomar’s Tray Crayton returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and one interception for a 45-yard score. Todd Bankhead completed 10 of 23 passes for 191 yards and a 44-yard touchdown pass.

The game, which lasted more than four hours, had 34 penalties called on the two teams for 319 yards.