SAN CLEMENTE – Seeking its first playoff win since 2011, the San Clemente football team took control early and never let it go, storming past Fullerton, 43-14, in a CIF-SS Southwest Division first-round game Friday at San Clemente High.
Tritons quarterback Sam Darnold completed 13 of 14 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns and the Tritons defense limited Fullerton to 82 yards in the first half.
“We’ve always had a goal to play with uncommon effort with everyone swarming to the ball,” Tritons linebacker Riley Whimpey said. “We did that well to start the game and we gave our offense a chance to get up early.”
Running back Vlad Dzhabiyev caught two of Darnold’s three scoring passes after giving San Clemente an early 7-0 lead on a 1-yard TD run.
Max Lepley recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Fullerton 31. Five plays later, Dzhabiyev doubled the lead on a 2-yard touchdown reception from Darnold.
It took the Tritons offense just two more plays to increase the lead to 28-0. Brandon Reaves took a handoff and raced 70 yards for a score near the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Darnold hit Jack Sears for a 61-yard touchdown.
The Tritons closed the half with a 10-yard TD pass from Darnold to Dzhabiyev.
“Our offense just came out firing, we were ready to go,” Dzhabiyev said.
Darnold did not play in the second half.
The Indians (5-6) gained momentum and scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards by quarterback Andrew Tavarez in the second half.
“To give up a fumble and let them score again kind of deflated us right away,” Indians co-coach Gus Martinez said. “We came back in the second half and didn’t give up.”
The playoff win is the first for Coach Jaime Ortiz. San Clemente (10-1) will play at Foothill on Friday.
“It’s been a long time, it’s good to get a win on our home field,” Ortiz said. “Now we start all over again.”
Contact the writer: npercy@ocregister.com
