ANAHEIM – Although Katella coach Fred DiPalma said he does not think about it much, his team has not lost a regular-season game since 2013, and it is his uptempo rushing attack, led by Francisco Pineda, that seems to fuel the Knights’ current streak.
Pineda rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns as Katella remained unbeaten, defeating Savanna, 42-14, in an Orange League game Friday night at Glover Stadium.
“He’s got a lot of fire. He wants to do well, and he wants to succeed,” DiPalma said about Pineda.
All of the Knights running backs moved the ball well against a deflated Savanna defense, compiling 387 rushing yards on the night.
“We’re going to strive for 10-0 again, but we just got to keep on working harder,” Pineda said.
Savanna moved the ball well at times against Katella’s defense, but could not keep up with the Knights’ quick scoring attacks.
The Rebels gained 252 rushing yards with the help of running back Matt Abundis, who rushed 10 times for 143 yards and one touchdown.
Abundis scored Savanna’s second touchdown with a 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as he pushed defenders out of his way toward the end zone.
Katella (6-0, 1-0) totaled 194 first-half rushing yards, outscoring Savanna, 27-7, while workhorse running back Pineda rushed for 130 yards and one touchdown on nine attempts in the first half.
On his first-half score, Pineda rushed for three consecutive carries of 2, 10 and 11, before pushing into the end zone at the start of the second quarter for a one yard touchdown, deflating Savanna while moving ahead 20 points.
Savanna (3-3, 0-1) scored its first-half touchdown early, closing the gap, 13-7, on an Angel Roberts’ 2-yard run.
Katella’s first touchdown came on a 73-yard fumble return by James Faitasia.
