ANAHEIM – Katella’s ground attack, featuring the contrasting running styles of Francisco Pineda and Randy Furbush, was too much for Western in a nonleague contest Thursday at Glover Stadium.
Furbush ran for 129 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and Pineda carried 18 times for 111 yards and three scores to lead the Knights to a 43-14 victory.
Katella (1-0) scored all six of its touchdowns on the ground.
Furbush, who is 5-10, 240 pounds, gained most of his yards by powering his way through the defense and breaking tackles, and Pineda tallied yardage by cutting and slashing.
Pineda also had an interception and recovered a fumble.
“The kids really worked hard this past week,” Katella coach Fred Di Palma said. “The backs and the line really stepped up. I’m really proud of them.”
Running back Jorge Fonseca, who would normally see plenty of action but was nursing an injury, came into the game late in the third quarter and ran for a 34-yard touchdown on his first carry.
Fonseca added a 27-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter and finished with 72 yards on four carries.
With Katella leading, 29-14, in the third quarter, Western (1-1) took a big gamble and lost.
The Pioneers faced a fourth-and-10 from their 42 and decided to go for the first down, rather than punt.
Western’s running attempt was way short and Katella took over on the Pioneers 34.
On the Knights’ first play, Fonseca scored the first of his two touchdowns, essentially putting the contest out of reach.
Contact the writer: lponsi@ocregister.com
