Orange County Prep Saturday : Western’s Two First-Half Scores Stop Fullerton

Western High School completed a successful nonleague schedule by shutting out Fullerton, 12-0, Friday in front of 500 in Fullerton District Stadium.

The Pioneers (4-1), picked second in the Orange League behind Valencia, which also finished its nonleague schedule 4-1, scored a pair of first-half touchdowns, then relied on defense to stymie Fullerton (0-5).

Western opens league play next Friday against Valencia.

Western had 235 yards in total offense and held Fullerton to 132, including only 15 yards in the first quarter.

Western scored its first touchdown with 2 minutes 39 seconds left in the first quarter when quarterback Joey Huy ran one-yard for the score. The point after attempt was wide.

The drive covered 63 yards in 7 plays with the key play being a 42-yard pass completion from Huy to Chris Frigo, giving Western a first down on the Fullerton 10.

Tim O’Neil of Western set up the next score by recovering a Steve DePhillips fumble on the Fullerton 27.

Keoni Manliguis capped the short drive, scoring on a five-yard run with 11:05 left in the first half. The extra point was again missed.

Both teams struggled for the rest of the game. Fullerton turned the ball over four times in the first half.

Fullerton, under first-year Coach Steve Mishioto, had its only serious drive late in the game, as quarterback Brent Bice completed a pair of 19-yard passes taking the ball to the Western 25. The drive ended on a fourth-down incompletion in the end zone from Bice.

Fullerton opens its Freeway League schedule next Friday against favorite Sunny Hills at Fullerton District Stadium.