Fullerton Beats Anaheim With Quick Start in Opener

Fullerton made quick work of Anaheim Thursday night.

The Indians scored on three of their first four possessions for a 17-point lead and held off their longtime rival, 23-7, before a crowd of about 800 at Glover Stadium.

Jeff Cody kicked three fields goals, two in the second half.

But it was the early, successful start that seemed to please Fullerton Coach Julian Smilowitz the most.

“That was a key,” he said. “The kids played very hard [in the first half against] a good Anaheim club.”

There were six turnovers in all and the teams combined to fumble eight times. Anaheim quarterback Jimmy Gorman, under heavy pressure most of the night, completed one pass in 10 attempts.

Fullerton got a 36-yard field goal from Cody for a 3-0 lead with 4:18 left in the first quarter and then Anaheim turned the ball over on the third play of its next drive, when Gorman fumbled after being hit by Fullerton defensive back Bill Gonzales.

Fullerton recovered on the Colonist 13-yard line and capitalized two plays later when quarterback Justin Bruce passed nine yards for a touchdown to split end Michael Sailhamer.

Fullerton went ahead by 17 points on its next possession after a short Anaheim punt. Bruce led the team 42 yards in six plays and passed 20 yards for a score to Sailhamer. A big part of the drive was a pass interference penalty on Anaheim.

Fullerton, meanwhile, turned the ball over twice in the second quarter and one of those led to Anaheim’s only touchdown.

After the teams exchanged fumbles, Anaheim’s Tim Dye intercepted a Bruce pass at the Indian 32-yard line.

Running back Fred Cortez ran 15 yards and quarterback Jimmy Gorman raced nine more on a quarterback sneak. Cortez ended the drive with a four-yard touchdown run and he also kicked the extra point. Fullerton led, 17-7.

Cody added field goals from 30 and 34 yards out in the fourth quarter.