PHOTOS: Fullerton survives last second threat by Sonora for dramatic win on Homecoming

Dallas Padron high-fives fans moments after his defensive play secured Fullerton’s 20-16 victory over Sonora. (Photos courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone).

.As a ball boy for Fullerton High School, Dallas Padron was enthralled with the players, who treated him like a little brother, the lights and the cheers. It was his dream to experience all that is high school football for a player.

But even in his dreams, Padron couldn’t have imagined what would transpire Friday night.

Fullerton, playing before the 119th Homecoming crowd, endured crisis after crisis before emerging with an exciting, and exhausting 20-16 Freeway League victory over Sonora.

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It was a contest whose outcome was in doubt until the final play, when Padron knocked a fourth-down, end zone pass out of the hands of a Sonora receiver to secure the victory. It was Fullerton’s first win, when the margin of victory was less than a touchdown, since the Indians defeated Sonora, 17-
12, on Oct. 5, 2018.

“I knew he was going to run a slant … he split out so wide, so I played to the inside and went for the ball,” Padron said.

Sonora, which entered the contest 5-1 and off to its best start in seven seasons, trailed 20-16 when it stopped a late Fullerton drive and took over on its 12 with 3:27 to play.

The Raiders, behind quarterback Landon Martin and receivers Zachery Chavez, Olin Morales Hyder and Brady Ackerman, and aided by a Fullerton pass interference penalty, moved down field, reaching the Fullerton 11 with 27 seconds to play.

On first down, an end zone pass was too long. A fumbled center snap stalled the drive on the second down. Another fade pass attempt on third down was too high.

That set up the 4th down, and, for a heartbeat, Martin’s pass was in Hyder’s grasp, only to be knocked away by Padron with three seconds remaining.

Fullerton scored first on Deshawn Cobbs’ 1-yard run on fourth down, but Sonora answered immediately, Anthony Abad breaking away on a 66-yard TD run.

Sonora took a 14-7 lead before the half on Martin’s 10-yard pass to Ackerman. Martin kicked both extra points.

Padron’s 12-yard, third-quarter run got Fullerton even at 14 in the third quarter and the Indians took the lead for good minutes later on Henry Pillon’s short run. An unsportsmanlike celebration penalty pushed the extra point attempt back to 37 yards and it failed.

That set the stage for 18 minutes of exciting albeit imperfect football.

Next up

Friday, Fullerton (3-4, 1-1) is at La Habra (3-4, 2-0). Sonora (5-2, 1-1) vs. Troy (5-2, 1-1) at Fullerton High School.

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—Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone