Big second half helps Cypress break Kennedy's hold
Big second half helps Cypress break Kennedy's hold
Cypress vs. Kennedy. Game played at Western High.
ANAHEIM - As great as winning a CIF title was last year for the ardent Cypress faithful, a victory over rival Kennedy would likely be even sweeter.
Cypress forced four second-half turnovers and scored 20 points in a row to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Fighting Irish by defeating visiting Kennedy, 27-20, in an Empire League opener Friday night at Western High.
"We measure our team, our kids by how they handle adversity," Cypress coach Ray Fenton said. "It seemed like the breaks weren’t going our way, but the kids kept playing hard and working."
Trailing 20-7, Cypress (3-3) tied the score on James Coman’s 5-yard fumble return and Max Reza’s 1-yard quarterback sneak.
A muffed punt early in the fourth quarter gave Cypress possession at the Kennedy 13 before Akeelie Muhammed put the Centurions on top five plays later with a 2-yard run.
Kennedy (2-4) had one last gasp, driving to the Cypress 15, but Toscaleneo Morris intercepted an Andy Peterson pass at the goal line to preserve the victory.
Peterson kept the Fighting Irish in the game with 119 yards rushing and 172 yards through the air, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Collins on the second play of the game.
Collins finished with seven receptions for 120 yards, adding a 1-yard touchdown run.
Contact the writer: preps@ocregister.com
