ANAHEIM – So you want to coach high school football, eh, Rick Feldman?
You want to play perhaps 10 games of this every fall? Ten games of scratching and clawing for every inch of offense? Ten games worth of moments you’re caught holding your breath as an opposing offense drives with a chance to take the lead late?
Well, if Friday was any indication, coach, you’ll be just fine.
Cypress held off Fullerton in its season opener, 26-21, defeating its first opponent on what Feldman called a considerably tougher 2014 schedule.
“Holy cow,” Feldman said, his Cypress windbreaker still soaked from the bucket of water poured over his head following the game. “It’s a building process. From where we were when we started to where we are now, though, it’s 100 percent greater.
“Things may not go our way sometimes, but our guys have so much heart.”
Cypress receiver Quinten Pounds scored twice and finished with 243 yards of total offense, and quarterback Nick Buras completed 6 of 11 pass attempts for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
“We wanted to show Cypress is back,” said Buras, who also kicked two field goals. “We came out strong. We made mistakes. Fullerton’s a tough opponent, but we kept playing.”
On Cypress’ first play of the season, Buras found Pounds streaking down the field for a 70-yard catch-and-go TD.
Fullerton (1-1) answered early in the second quarter, however, scoring on a 6-yard run by running back Josh Hill.
Following an exchange of possessions, Buras capped a 95-yard drive with a 34-yard TD pass to Kevin Edwards. Fullerton’s ensuing drive went nowhere, and three plays after Cypress’ special teams blocked Fullerton’s punt, Buras booted a 27-yard field goal.
Holding a 17-7 lead at the start of the third quarter, Pounds returned Fullerton’s second-half kickoff 78 yards for the score.
“It’s like watching a college or NFL game,” Buras said of Pounds’ playmaking.
A 9-yard TD grab by Fullerton’s Kaene Soto was answered by Buras’ second FG of the game, a 33-yarder late in the third.
Fullerton quarterback Andrew Tavarez brought his team within five on a 5-yard TD scramble in the fourth, but a fruitless final drive with minimal time remaining secured Cypress’ win.
Hill finished with 20 carries for 114 yards.
Contact the writer: whitehead@ocregister.com
