Kaiser Puts Up Its Defenses

Fontana Kaiser stopped Ridgecrest Burroughs on fourth and goal from the three-yard line with 1:21 remaining to secure a 21-14 victory Friday at Kaiser High and advance to the Southern Section Division VIII semifinals.

It is the first playoff appearance for second-seeded Kaiser (11-1), which is in its third year of existence, and the Cats did all they could to keep the Burros in the game.

Kaiser committed 16 penalties for 165 yards and turned the ball over twice. However, the Cats’ defense, which leads the division, allowing only 9.5 points a game, kept the team from self destruction.

Kaiser opened the game with a 10-play, 56-yard drive, capped by Antoine Caton’s 20-yard touchdown pass play from Steve Sturdivant with 4:06 left in the quarter.

Caton gave Kaiser a 14-0 lead in the second quarter with a 60-yard touchdown on a reverse.

Burroughs, which had only 84 total yards of offense in the first half, recovered a fumble by Marcus McCliman and took the ball 21 yards in four plays. David Lammers scored from four yards to make cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.

Kaiser took a 21-7 lead in the second half on another 56-yard drive, culminated by a one-yard score by Allen Wade. The Burros quickly responded as three plays later, Phillip scored on 50-yard run.