FULLERTON – Fullerton scored three unanswered fourth-quarter touchdowns for a 32-20 season-opening, come-from-behind victory in a non-league game vs. Kennedy on Friday at Fullerton District Stadium.
Fullerton quarterback Jordan Lawton completed nine of 16 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown and rushed 14 times for 66 yards and two scores to lead the offense.
The victory came in the 1,000th football game in Fullerton’s history. The Indians fielded their first football team in 1908.
Lawton’s 76-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Nicholson was the first of the three fourth quarter scores and tied the contest at 20.
Arturo Bravo’s 5-yard touchdown run on Fullerton’s next possession gave the Indians (1-0) a 26-20 lead and Marcus Roberson’s 5-yard touchdown with 1:58 left put the game out of reach.
Roberson’s score was set up by a spectacular 30-yard, over-the-shoulder reception from Benny Pichardo, who dragged both both feet along the left sideline to stay in bounds.
Pichardo made a similar catch for 35 yards earlier in the game and finished with four receptions for 105 yards.
“Good first game for us,” Fullerton Coach Gus Martinez said. “The offense finally started clicking a little bit (and) the defense never gave up. We came up with some big plays.”
Fullerton received the opening kickoff and put together an eight-play, 80 yard drive, capped by Lawton’s 1-yard touchdown run.
But the Indians couldn’t muster up much offense for the rest of the first half.
Kennedy (1-0) then took a 7-6 lead on a 50-yard scoring pass from Adrian Quezada to Derrick Deese.
In the third, the Fighting Irish came up with another big play, this one a 74-yard scoring pass from Quezada to Brandon Edge, which gave Kennedy a 20-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter and setting the stage for the Indians’ comeback.
Quezada completed 11 of 21 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
“In the true tradition of Fullerton football, they battle until the end,” Martinez said. “I’m very proud of everyone today.”
Contact the writer: lponsi@ocregister.com
