Saddleback airs it out and defeats Bolsa Grande 41-14 continuing fast start

Saddleback celebrates a victory over Bolsa Grande Thursday at Segerstrom. (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Saddleback’s football team showed early on it was ready to bounce back from last week’s 33-21 non-league loss to Los Amigos.

The Roadrunners, behind the arm of quarterback Alberto Marquez, scored on their first drive and went on to defeat Bolsa Grande 41-14 Thursday night at Segerstrom. It’s the first time a Saddleback team has been 3-1 since 2015 when Rob Thompson, now the athletic director, was head coach.

“Our biggest thing was how are we going to bounce back from a loss,” said Saddleback Coach Glenn Campbell. “What we were going to do and how we were going to respond to the loss. We did a good job.”

Marquez connected with Isaias Ramirez on a 42-yard touchdown play on the Roadrunners first drive. It was the beginning of a big night for Marquez, who completed 9 of 23 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Ramirez had three TD catches and capped the night with a 66-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

“Albert is coming along for a guy who’s never played ball before,” Campbell said. “Every game he’s getting better and better and better and Isaias Ramirez is our guy, he’s a stud.”

Bolsa Grande (2-2) scored two touchdowns in the first half, but Saddleback’s defense blanked the Matadors in the second half.

“It was beautiful, perfect, but I want to give it to the defense because they were stopping them,” Marquez said. “We had a little trouble last week. We couldn’t stop the run, but I’m glad they stopped it this time.”

Like they have all season, Marquez and Ramirez continued to team up on scores with Ramirez also hauling in touchdown catches of 9 and 31 yards. Ramirez had six catches for 138 yards.

“I know he’s going to be open all the time,” Marquez said. “He’s my go-to right there.”

Bolsa Grande was led by quarterback Samer Alqam, who passed for 148 yards and running back Ethan Nguyen, who rushed for 66 yards.

After falling behind early, Bolsa Grande moved ahead when Alqam threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Phu Nguyen and following a two-point conversion the Matadors led 8-7.

But Saddleback responded with two scores. Carlos Carro scored on a 3-yard TD run to give Saddleback a 14-7 lead. The Roadrunners later got the ball back on the Bolsa Grande 7 following a bobbled punt. On the next play Rodrigo Nieves scored to put Saddleback ahead 21-7.

Bolsa Grande cut the lead to 21-14 later in the second quarter when Alqam connnected with Joel Chavez on a 26-yard TD pass.

Saddleback moved ahead 28-14 when Marquez and Ramirez hooked up again on a 9-yard TD play with 15 seconds left in the first half.

Ramirez added two more scores, one on a spectacular catch in the end zone and another on the big run to seal the win.

Saddleback had only three penaltes and did not turn the ball over.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com