ANAHEIM – Katella running back Jose Camacho rushed for a career-high 151 yards, wide receiver James Fatasia hauled in three touchdown passes, and the Knights defense smothered a one-dimensional Esperanza offense in a lopsided 42-14 nonleague game Thursday night at Glover Stadium.
After opening the season with a pair of tight victories, Katella (3-0) flexed its muscles in the trenches and gashed the Aztecs defense for 276 yards on the ground.
Early success running the football forced Esperanza (1-1) to send an extra man into the box, leaving Fatasia with man-to-man coverage on the outside. The senior accounted for Katella’s first two touchdowns, hooking up with quarterback Nathan Arrington for scores of 42 and 40 yards and putting the Knights up 14-0 early in the second quarter.
The Aztecs responded after the kickoff, driving 61 yards on eight plays for their first score of the evening. Sophomore quarterback Treyden Buzzone hit Nicholas Lycett for a 25-yard touchdown strike down the sideline, cutting the deficit in half, but it proved to be one of only two completions for the young signal caller on the night.
Katella went on to score touchdowns on four of its next five possessions, including a pair in the final 1:54 of the first half. Moments after Arrington’s nine-yard touchdown run late in the second, the Knights recovered a pooch kick that gave them possession at the Esperanza 36.
Camacho bulldozed his way into the end zone from 22 yards out three plays later for a 28-7 halftime lead.
“Sometimes you get surprised by a team, and tonight I was pleasantly surprised,” Katella coach Fred DiPalma said. “I just loved the way the kids played. They were enthusiastic and excited. Everybody played well.”
Esperanza’s Jake McPherson and Hayden Winters combined for 184 rushing yards on 42 total carries, but neither running back broke a run longer than 13 yards.
Fatasia finished with 118 receiving yards. He added a third touchdown grab midway through the fourth quarter.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@scng.com
