FOOTBALL: TRICKED ON HALLOWEEN

The #8 Hornets lost in a nail-bitter at home on Saturday afternoon to #5 Saddleback College 39-36.

Fullerton took an early 14-0 lead to start the game scoring on a 17-yard pass from QB Trey Tinsley to WR Katavious Taylor (12:15 1Q). Then, on the ensuing kickoff, FC struck again in six seconds time when Jason Davis jarred the ball loose from Gaucho return man Marvin Marshall allowing Marcus Kirkpatrick to scoop the ball up from the 15 yardline and cross into the endzone.

Saddleback added a field goal by PK Aaron Ball with 8:13 left in the first quarter.

The Hornets went up 21-3 on a 22-yard touchdown run by Kentavious "Pop" Thomas who bashed his way into the open lane to paydirt (12:04 2Q).

The Gauchos scored their first touchdown of the game on a QB keeper where Johnny Stanton took it in from the 1-yardline (8:04 2Q).

The third quarter belonged to the Gauchos as they put up 15 points to take their first lead of the game at 25-21. The first score of the half was a 2-yard run by Myron Buchanan (7:50 3Q - 2 point conversion good). After a Fullerton turnover deep in Saddleback territory, Stanton hit WR Dominic Collins for an 8-yard score (6:51 3Q).

Fullerton finally got back on the board late in the third quarter on a 33-yard field goal by Tavis Guerra (2:33 3Q).

The Stanton to Collins combination worked again at the top of the fourth quarter for the Gauchos as they scored on a 22-yard shot into the endzone to go up 32-24 (11:51 4Q).

The Hornets did not fold as they got back into the thick of the game on a score my Jarrell Moss who took the ball the distance on a 29-yard pass from Tinsley (4:06 4Q - 2 point conversion failed).

Down 32-30, the Fullerton defense held up forcing a three and out forcing the Gauchos to punt. FC got the ball back with 2:22 left in the game, and they did not disappoint. Jarell Moss too the punt and ran it back 73 yards to the Saddleback 4-yardlne. FC would score on the send play from scrimmage when RB Anthony Wood punched it in from 5 yards out (1:40 4Q - 2 point conversion no good).

The Hornets were back up 36-32 with Saddleback starting their final drive at their own 25-yardline with 1:40 left in the game.

It was 2nd and 10 yards to go when Stanton threw a 41-yard bomb down the middle of the field where Collins stretched out and appeared to trap the ball on the turf. The referee called it a catch and that set the Gauchos up nicely on the Fullerton 20-yarline with less than a minute left in the game. That play-call changed the whole complexion of the game and the fate of the Hornet's season.

Saddleback scored the winning touchdown six plays later on fourth down with a 1-yard plunge by Buchanan as the play clock had already hit zero.

With 9 seconds left, the Hornets took a shot downfield on a trick play but the ball was intercepted by Marcus Meredith on the Saddleback 35-yardline.

The Gauchos soon went into victory formation and walked off the field still undefeated in conference (6-0, 7-2 overall).

Up Next: The Hornets (5-4 overall, and 2-3 conference) will travel down south to Palomar College next Saturday, November 7th. Kickoff will be at 1:00 pm.

*Photo by Ricardo Zapata

*Photo by Ricardo Zapata 

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