Brea Olinda continues fast start with 26-18 victory over Fullerton on homecoming

Jeremiah Dafney caught touchdown passes of 33 and 36 yards to lead Brea-Olinda to a 26-18 win over Fullerton.(Photo courtesy Jim McCormack for OC Sports Zone)

There were two ways to approach the 2021 six-game spring football season.

On the one hand it was nice to have a farewell season for seniors who had been denied a 2020 fall season because of the pandemic. On the other hand it was a unique opportunity for game experience for teams that were depending on underclassmen for success this fall.

Brea-Olinda falls into the latter category and three games into an undefeated season it is clear the Wildcats took advantage of spring’s unique opportunity.

Their game experience was evident Friday night when the gold-clad Wildcats collected their third win of the young season with a 26-18 homecoming victory over Fullerton High.

“We took the opportunity to get better,” Brea linebacker Aidan Arnold said of the spring season. “Playing those six games kept us together and made us better for this season.”

The key element of the spring season was the opportunity to wear pads, which is not normally allowed in California spring practice.

“That’s the best practice of all (pads),” said defensive end Emilio Gonzales, “and it made everyone better.”

Typically it is the Brea-Olinda offense that gets most of the notoriety, but with that unit out of sorts early Friday … The Wildcats had two illegal procedure penalties before it had run a play … it was the defense turn to establish control of the game and it did its part, blanking Fullerton until midway through the third quarter.

“That’s why it’s a team game,” said Brea-Olinda Coach Robb Ferrance. “It takes one side of the ball to hold the other side up.”

Brea-Olinda built a 13-0 halftime lead and extended the edge to 19-0 on two Justus Thongprahchanh touchdown passes to Jeremiah Dafney (33 and 36 yards) and two Alex Han field goals (20, 29 yards).

It was at that point that a Fullerton offense that had struggled most of the night, suddenly found itself. The igniter was a 60-yard pass from Christopher Castillo to Mason Calvillo trimming the Wildcat advantage to 19-6.

Brea-Olinda responded with its most efficient drive of the night, Andrew Rubio scoring from five yards out three minutes later and Brea was up 26-6.

The Indians responded behind their veteran offensive line, which seemed to find its second wind and running back Ryan Knight worked loose on several long runs adding touchdowns on a 9-yard run late in the third quarter and then on a one-yard run on 4^th-and-1 with 5:28 remaining in the game.

“I’m really happy with the way our kids responded to this team,” Fullerton Coach Richard Salazar said. “I’ve watched them (Brea-Olinda)  play and I’ve watched them on film and I knew they were going to be aggressive. I knew we were in for a fight, and it was exactly the football game we thought it was going to be. I’m just happy we responded the way we did.”

Things don’t get any easier for Brea-Olinda. The Wildcats host unbeaten Pacifica (4-0), which has outscored its opponents 206-63 on Friday. Fullerton opens Freeway League action Friday at Sonora.

For earlier game story, please click here.

—-Courtesy Jim McCormack for OC Sports Zone