Fullerton overpowers Cedar Bluffs 58-8

Fullerton's Connor Sonderup. The sophomore scored twice in the Warriors 58-8 triumph over Cedar Bluffs. *(photo by Bobby Mills)

FULLERTON - The skies that were forecast to open up and rain on this Thursday night football parade never materialized, but instead, the visiting Cedar Bluffs Wildcats experienced the Fullerton offense open up and rain touchdowns, early and often.

The short-handed Wildcats, who suited up only 12 players for the trip, were simply unable to stop Fullerton’s early scoring onslaught. After being held on their first possession of the game, the Warriors proceeded to put 44 points on the scoreboard in the next ten minutes, fifty eight seconds.

When slick sophomore Connor Wetovick swept around his left side for a 31 yard touchdown with 6:12 left in the 2nd quarter, head official Jim Langin called both coaches together and it was mutually agreed to start the running clock at that point in the football game.

The concern in that decision was probably based on the fact Cedar Bluffs starting quarterback Lane Siems having to leave the game in the 1st quarter following a crushing hit. At the time, that reduced the Wildcats available personnel to 11 players.

Returning 1000 yard rusher Hunter Friend got things started for Fullerton with a 27 yard touchdown run on the Warriors 2nd possession. Less than two minutes later, junior Brent Wetovick blocked a Hunter Bacon punt. The ball then took a couple of crazy bounces before Hunter Friend picked it up, bulldozed his way over four Cedar Bluffs players, twisting and turning his way for a sparkling 15 yard scoring run.

The Warriors added a third score with 1:50 left in the opening stanza when TJ Dubas blasted in from the one yard line. Dubas added his own double PAT and Fullerton had a 22-0 lead after one quarter.

It took only one play for Fullerton to put another tally on the board to open the second stanza. Again, it was Dubas, the 180 pound junior doing the honors with a 36 yard scoring jaunt. He added his third two point conversion, upping the score to 30-0.

Three minutes later, with Fullerton pinned back on their own 19 yard line facing a 3rd and 7, QB Brandon Rasmussen turned in one of the most entertaining, time consuming touchdown runs I’ve seen in this season.

The 175 pound sophomore probably covered over a 100 yards of real estate, enroute to a 61 yard scoring jaunt that was as entertaining as you will ever see. Rasmussen, who apparently rarely runs the football, made several cutbacks against the grain before looking like he either came to a dead stop, or was forced out-of-bounds. But the showtime was not about to end at that point, folks.

Rasmussen resumed his journey, cut back to his left, nearly crossing the entire field to the Fullerton sideline. He then cut back right, then left, then right one more time before hitting the end zone. Time wise, that may have been one of the longest plays I have witnessed since I watched 19 second dandy in a 6-Man game in St. Edward a few years back.

Rasmussen apparently wasn’t completely gassed after the play because he stuck around long enough to nail James Wetovick for the two-point conversion, making it 38-0, Warriors.

Sonderup then added his 31 yard scoring run, stretching the lead to 44-0, which was the halftime score.

Sonderup scored his second touchdown of the gray night on a 3rd quarter one yard run that swelled Fullerton’s lead to 50-0.

Cedar Bluffs finally hit the board against the Warrior reserves with 2:47 left in the 3rd, when QB Lane Siems slipped in from the one yard line on a 4th and 1.

Sophomore James Wetovick added the final Fullerton touchdown on a one yard run after the Warrior reserves put together a nice 40 yard drive. One hundred twenty five pound freshman Hunter Haughton, son of coach Ryan Haughton, put a stamp on the Fullerton win with a nifty two-point conversion pass to classmate Chris Sensenig.

Connor Sonderup led the Fullerton ground attack with 79 yards on just 9 carries. Brandon Rasmussen’s highlight reel 61 yard score put him second on the rushing chart for the night…….on that lone carry. The Warriors, as a team, ran for 302 yards.

The Fullerton defense limited Cedar Bluffs to just 70 yards rushing and 38 passing on the night. Gage Vega led the Wildcats with 78 yards on 9 totes. Fifty three of those coming on a single burst.

Fullerton improves to 6-1 on the season going into their bye week. The Warriors return to action Friday, October 20th, when they close out the regular season with a trip to powerful Humphrey St. Francis, where face the Flyers on their beautiful artificial turf field.

……………………….1……..2……..3……..4……….T

Cedar Bluffs (1-5)......0……..0……..0……..8……….8

Fullerton (6-1)...........22…....22…….6……..8………58

1st Qtr.

F - Hunter Friend 27 run……………………....PAT - TJ Dubas run..(8-0)..6:50

F - Hunter Friend 15 return of blocked punt…..PAT - Run failed…...(14-0)..4:09

F - TJ Dubas 1 run……………………………..PAT - Dubas run…...(22-0)..1:50

2nd Qtr.

F - TJ Dubas 36 run…………………………....PAT - Dubas run……(30-0)..10:57

F - Brandon Rasmussen 61 run………………..PAT - Rasmussen to James Wetovick pass………………………………………………………....(38-0)..8:03

F - Connor Sonderup 31 run…………………..PAT - Run failed…….(44-0)..6:12

3rd Qtr.

F - Connor Sonderup 1 run…………………...PAT - Run failed…....(50-0)

CB - Lane Siems 1 run…………………...…..PAT - Gage Vacha run..(50-8)..2:47

4th Qtr

F - James Wetovick 1 run…………………….PAT - Haughton to Sensenig pass (58-8)