FOOTBALL: BACK ON TRACK!

After suffering a painful opening-day loss, the Hornets valiantly bounced back this week beating last season's state champion Mt. San Antonio Mounties 36-30 in overtime.

Both the Mounties and Hornets came into the season ranked #1 and #5 and both suffered pride bruising losses. Coming into the Nathan Shapell Stadium everyone could feel the intensity of the players in the searing heat. Both prideful and storied programs, neither team wanted to open the season 0-2.

Mt. SAC managed to put the first points up on the board on an 8-yard run by quarterback Anfernee Bruton that put them up 7-0 with 3:24 left in the first quarter.

In the next drive for FC, quarterback Trey Tinsley got things going hitting tight end Tim Holt for a 34-yard gain. A few plays later, place kicker Tavis Guerra kicked a 19-yard field goal (12:30 2Q).

The Hornets went up 10-7 with 4:41 left in the first half on beautiful 65-yard pass by Tinsley that landed perfectly in WR Cameron Oliver's hands.

With just over a minute left in the half, Coach Tim Byrnes pulled out his bag of tricks calling a lateral pass from Tinsley to wideout Jordan Wiley and Wiley launched a pass to a wide open Coray Keel for a 66-yard score. FC was up 17-7 going into the half.

Fullerton added to their lead in the first drive in the second half on a 24-yard field goal by Guerra (8:54 3Q).

The Mounties matched the field goal with one of their own when Brandon Garcia hit one from 34-yards out.

The game's momentum swung Mt. SAC's way in the beginning of the fourth quarter on a shallow pass from Tinsley that was intercepted Norman Moimoi who ran the ball 29 yards to the Hornet 15 yardline. The Mounties went on to score a 10-yard pass from Bruton to WR Blake Fisher (13:28 4Q). The PAT attempt was no good after hitting the post.

FC lead was shrinking at 20-16 and the Mounties were coming on strong.

Guerra hit a 24-yard field goal that helped the Hornets go up by a touchdown, but Mt. SAC tied the game up on a 35-yard pass from Bruton to WR Tony Ingram.

Time ran out in regulation with a 23-23 tie ball game.

Two of SoCal's top teams were still slugging it out in OT in triple digit heat.

FC won the toss and took over on the Mt. SAC 25-yardline, and on the first play scored a TD in which Tinsley hit a streaking Ryan Markush in the back corner of the end zone.

Mt. SAC Matched it three plays later with a 5-yard pass from Bruton to Fisher. The score was tied again at 30 apiece.

The Mounties took over on the Hornet 25-yardline and were halted by a sack and forced fumble by Lukas McCarthy. The ball was picked up by Jordan Phillips.

The Hornets scored the game-winning touchdown on the second play of the series on a 25-yard strike from Tinsley to Markush.

Up Next: Fullerton (1-1) will play at Cerritos College next Saturday, September 18th. Kickoff will be at 7:00 pm. 

*Photo by Matt Brown

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