LA HABRA – Sonora used a strong second half to break open a close game and defeat Fullerton, 35-20, in a Freeway League game Friday evening at La Habra High.
The Raiders (3-1, 8-1) scored three second-half touchdowns to notch their third consecutive win.
Sonora will face Buena Park, which beat Troy on Friday, for second place next week.
Jacob Fimbres, the third leading rusher in the county entering the game with 1,534 yards, ran for 161 yards and three TDs, on runs of four, four and 24 yards. Fimbres has 27 touchdowns this season.
“I felt like we were a lot stronger in the second half and wore them down a bit,” Fimbres said.
Raiders QB Cole McDonald rushed for 100 yards and completed 13 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Fullerton (0-4, 4-5) was eliminated from playoff contention.
After leading 14-13 at halftime, the Raiders took the second-half kickoff and drove 64 yards in 11 plays, increasing its lead to 21-13 after Fimbres’ 4-yard TD run.
Later in the quarter, McDonald finished off a 90-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run and Sonora led 28-13.
Following an Indians turnover in the fourth quarter, the Raiders methodically moved down the field and Fimbres capped the drive with a 24-yard TD run to seal the victory.
Trailing 6-0 after opening the game with three feeble drives, Sonora rebounded with an impressive 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive midway through the second quarter. Fimbres’ 4-yard TD run gave Sonora 7-6 lead.
Late in the half, Fullerton QB Jordan Lawton scrambled 37 yards, breaking numerous tackles, and scored as the Indians regained the lead, 13-7.
But the Raiders rallied and took a 14-13-halftime lead following McDonald’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Steven Riley with 20 seconds left in the half.
Fullerton QB Jordan Lawton ran 37 yards for a TD as the Indians regained the lead, 13-7. Lawton led Fullerton with 129 yards rushing.
Notes: Prior to Friday’s Freeway League game at La Habra High, both Fullerton and Sonora players and coaches lined up on the field facing each other and held a moment of silence in honor of Fullerton offensive line coach Mark Takkinen who died Oct. 13 of complications from cancer.
The public announcer shared Takkinen’s long football association as head football coach and Athletic Director at Sonora and as a coach at Fullerton.
Fullerton also donned the letters TAKK on the back of their helmets in honor of Takkinen. Takkinen, 58, three sons, Michael, Patrick and Cody that are currently serving as assistants on the Indians football staff.
The Indians also wore the letters RN on the back of their helmets to pay tribute to Josh Nava, who is the cousin of cheerleader Raquel Abrego. Nava, a 17-year old junior at Riverside Poly High School, was injured last weekend while making a tackle during the second half of a game against Moreno Valley.
Nava had immediate surgery following his injury and remains in a coma in an Inland Empire hospital. Abrego, 18, said the family is hopeful of a recovery and said they are moved by the honor paid to her cousin by the Fullerton football team.