HORNETS CAGE THE COUGARS

The FC football team is now 2-0 on the season after a 26-14 road-win over College of the Canyons.

It was a hot day that had the Cougars and Hornets push back the game's start time from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm to help fight off the heat wave. 

Fullerton seemed undaunted by the long bus ride and heat grabbing a 12-0 first quarter lead. FC fumbled the ball in the first offensive drive after three plays, but the Hornets soon turned the tables on the Cougars when Jamari Griffin picked the ball off from a Branson Tit-Nwa tipped pass and took it to the endzone for a 70-yard touchdown return. The PAT failed at 11:16. On the next Canyon's drive, Jamari Griffin did his thing again intercepting the ball on COC's 39-yardline. From there, Fullerton scored again in five plays on quarterback Brandon Nunez's run from 5-yards out. FC went for two and failed at 8:09.

A Hornet fumble at the Hornet 5-yardline with just over a minute left in the first quarter gave College of the Canyons a chance to score when quarterback Emory Floyd ran the ball in cutting the FC lead down at 12-7.

Starting off the second quarter, FC brushed off the mistake and took the ball down the field 85-yards in 18 plays for a touchdown. Led by QB Brandon Nunez, who went 5 for 7 in th air to keep the drive alive, Garnett Davis III bowled his way in from 3-yards out for the score putting the Hornets up 19-7 (Fobear's PAT good) at 9:50.

Always a resilient team, the Cougars kept the game close scoring on a 14-yard pass from Emery Floyd to wideout Lyndon Ravare with 3:17 left in the first half.

The final touchdown of the game came at 10:48 in the third quarter when Nunez led Fullerton on another long drive (7 plays, 87 yards) sealing the game in the Hornet's favor for good. The drive was capped off by another strong run Garnett Davis III from a yard out. The point-after by Fobear was good.

The Hornets simply held the Cougars in a headlock with a strong defensive effort combined with a solid rushing game to burn minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter for the victory.

Brandon Nunez had another strong outing for FC running for 91 yards on 17 carries and throwing for 196 yards (16 for 25 with 1 int). Running back Michael Vakapuna ran hard for 86 yards on 10 carries, while Garnett Davis III rushed for 65 yards on 18 carries with 2 TDs. Reciever Jeremy Gonzalez caught 7 balls for 78 yards.

Defensively, Jeremiah McNeeley led all tacklers with 7 (3 solo / 4 assists). Jamari Griffin had 2 interceptions (1 for a TD), 1 breakup, and 2 tackles.  

Up Next: Fullerton (2-0 overall) will host East Los Angeles College on Sherbeck Field on Saturday, September 16th. Kickoff is at noon. General Admission is $10 / Free for those with a FC Student ID. Come out and watch some exciting FC football!