Record-Setting Johnson Leads Katella to Victory

After Katella defeated Cypress, 35-6, Thursday night in Empire League play at Glover Stadium, call Francis Johnson a record-breaker.

Johnson, just last week, set a Katella single-game rushing record. Against Cypress, Johnson broke the seasonal mark. Both records belonged to Chris Higsby.

The junior running back wanted to set the record straight on his first name, considering one newspaper called him Frank last week.

“That’s wrong,” Johnson said. “It’s not Frank.”

There was nothing wrong with Johnson’s performance against Cypress (3-7, 1-4). He rushed for 189 yards in 25 carries and scored four touchdowns.

With Katella (6-4, 3-2) leading by six points, Johnson scored on a five-yard run 52 seconds into the second quarter to give the Knights a 14-0 lead.

The Knights increased their lead to 22-0 when Johnson scored on a four-yard run with 6 minutes 39 seconds remaining in the first half.

Johnson, on Katella’s first play of the third quarter, raced 62 yards to give the Knights a 28-0 lead. He finished Katella’s scoring with a three-yard run with six seconds left in the third quarter.

Rene Rubalcava got Katella off to a quick 6-0 lead when a punt was fumbled and Rubalcava picked it up and ran 38 yards for the score.