SANTA ANA – Katella’s defense made sure it would avoid a three-game losing skid on Friday night. It allowed just 15 yards en route to defeating Century, 27-7, in an Orange League opener at Santa Ana Stadium.
Sebastian Damasco, a junior, racked up two touchdowns in four of his carries for the Knights (3-3, 1-0). He helped set up his first touchdown after recovering a fumble at the Centurions’ 24-yard line with 3:22 remaining in the first half.
Four plays later, Damasco widened Katella’s lead on his 2-yard run. Fred Macías’ run on the two-point conversion made it 20-7 with two minutes to play in the half.
Damasco earned his second score on another 2-yard carry with 6:17 remaining in the third quarter to close out the longest scoring drive of the game, a 13-play, 64-yard series that lasted more than six minutes.
Century (1-5, 0-1) capitalizes on the Knights’ second turnover after a mishandled snap on a punt attempt that allowed Century to take over on downs on the Katella 20.
The Centurions needed just three plays to take a 7-6 lead after Jimmy Gutiérrez’s 18-yard run with 6:52 to play in the opening half.
Katella reclaimed the lead, 12-7, on the ensuing series after Jameyson Mowdy scored from a yard out with 3:36 left in the second. Ricardo Armenta’s pass on the conversion attempt fell incomplete.
Armenta finished with a game-high 99 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown while going 9-for-14 passing with an interception for 163 yards and Mowdy added 64 rushing yards on 19 attempts.
The Knights remain undefeated in its five league matchups with Century, which started in 2010.
Katella will play its second league game of the season on Oct. 16 when it plays Magnolia at Western High School. Century’s next league game will be against Anaheim on Oct. 16 at Santa Ana Stadium.
