ANAHEIM – Senior quarterback Leroy Hibbert scored on an 8-yard run with 4:42 remaining in the game to cap a Savanna comeback, as the Rebels edged Century, 14-9, in an Orange League game Thursday night at Glover Stadium.
The victory created a three-way tie for third place in the league. Savanna (4-5, 2-2) shares the position with Magnolia and Santa Ana Valley after Magnolia defeated the Falcons on Thursday night.
If Anaheim loses to Katella on Friday, it will become a four-way tie for second-place.
Century (1-8, 0-4) brought a scare to the Rebels by taking a 9-0 lead in the first half. Jesse Carrasco scored the Centurions’ points on a 2-yard scoring run in the first quarter and 36-yard field goal late in the first half.
But the Rebels rallied in the second half with a defense, which gave up 134 yards and seven first downs in the first half, holding the Centurions to just three total yards and no first downs.
“We decided that we had to be more aggressive in the second half,” said Savanna coach Roger Whalen. “It helped us get the ball to our offense and it made a big difference.”
One of the Rebel standouts on defense was Antonio Buenrostro, who had a quarterback sack and a pair of tackles for losses on consecutive plays.
Hibbert finally got the Rebels on the scoreboard late in the third quarter. Keyed by a personal foul penalty against the Centurions for a horse-collar tackle, he completed a 19-yard touchdown toss to Devin Timms to reduce Century’s advantage to 9-7.
Early in the final quarter, Hibbert was picked off by Johnathan Rodriguez. After that drive stalled, the Centurions regained possession on a fumbled punt return, but Carrasco missed on a 41-yard field goal.
Savanna drove 80 yards on five plays, with runs of 44 yards by Timms and 23 yards by Hibbert to set up the winning score.
Timms led the Rebels with 117 yards on 14 carries.
Savanna will conclude the regular season next week against Anaheim.
“We know Anaheim is a very good team, but this is the time of year when anything can happed,” said Whalen.
