IRVINE – Fans of offensive football enjoyed the spectacle Friday when Boron outlasted Saddleback Valley Christian, 52-40, at University High.
Boron running backs Laron Cherry and Emilio Gutierrez rushed for 211 and 212 yards, respectively, while SVC quarterback Cade Henjum broke his own school single-game record with 486 yards passing and five touchdowns. Henjum also ran for 151 yards and a touchdown.
The teams exchanged leads throughout the second half, before Gutierrez capped a long scoring drive with an 11-yard run to put Boron ahead, 46-40, late in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing play from scrimmage, Ethan Harrison intercepted a Henjum pass and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown to clinch the victory. It was one of seven SVC turnovers (four interceptions).
“The record does not matter to me. I wanted to win,” Henjum said. “The team played great. The quarterback can’t turn the ball over that many times,” Henjum said. “This one is 100 percent on me.”
The Warriors (2-3) took their first lead at 28-26 on Henjum’s 77-yard touchdown pass to Marc Audet at the end of the third quarter.
Boron answered with a 73-yard touchdown run by Gutierrez to give the Bobcats a 34-28 lead.
After driving the Warriors down the field through the air, Henjum scored on an 8-yard run to tie the score at 34.
After a 60-yard kickoff return by Sam Birmingham, Gutierrez scored on a 6-yard run to give Boron a 40-34 lead.
Henjum answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Greene to tie the score again.
“It was a tough one, to battle that long and hard and come up just a little short,” SVC coach Brendan Chambers said. “If you take Cade (Henjum) out of that game, it’s a blowout.”
