FUHS Football triumphed in a blowout game last Friday against the Dana Hills Dolphins. By halftime, the Indians were already ahead 50-0, ending the game with a 50-14 win.

The team looks forward to its first league game tonight at 7 p.m. against Sunny Hills at Buena Park Stadium.

“They’re a pretty good team this year, and last year we lost to them,” junior captain Dylan Nicholson said. “We want to redeem ourselves.”  

“We’re all super excited, we’re all super pumped up, and were all ready to play Sunny,” said senior running back Arthur Bravo.

The game will be a “color-rush;” the Indians will be wearing all red, while the Lancers wear all black.

The team won its first game against Trabuco Hills on Sept. 2, finishing with an overall score of 27-14. The Indians also defeated Bellflower 45-13 on Sept. 9, kicking off the season with confidence.

In a close game against El Modena High School on Sept. 16, the Indians scored off the kickoff with a return by Nicholson. The game was close, but  the Indians ended up falling to the Vanguards 26-21.

Sophomore quarterback Gavin Klepper said he felt the game was a good match.

“At times they were better, at times we were better, on both offense and defense,” Klepper said.

Fullerton also suffered a 40-10 loss on Sept. 9 against Richard Gahr High School, whose team has improved dramatically this year, starting off its season with a 5-0 record.

Klepper took the losses as motivation for the upcoming games.

“I feel that we can practice a lot harder with a better attitude,” Klepper said.  “With more responsibility coming into practice and wanting to do what we’ve got to do”.

The Indians expect to battle big competition this year.

Senior linebacker Michael Vargas, said the team strives to perform better.

“We have a much better shot this year because everyone is motivated,” Vargas said.

According to Vargas, tough competitors motivate the team to have a successful season and this year the Indians hope to defeat their biggest rival, Troy High School.

“Every year that game is really exciting and really emotional,” Vargas said.

Last year’s loss against Troy, so shortly after the loss of Coach Mark Takkinen, gave the Indians more motivation than ever to win this year.

Senior Steven Ortega said since last year’s record wasn’t a number aimed for, he hopes the team will dominate in league this season.

“The mentality we have this year is to come out aggressive and confident,” Ortega said.

As the game against Troy approaches, Ortega said the team anticipates it to be a personal game. 

”Everyone looks forward to the Troy game,” Ortega said.

“There’s a lot of close bonds on the team that keep us together and keep us going,” Vargas said. The players lift each other up and encourage each other to do better.

“If somebody messes up and gives up a big play or something like that, everybody surrounds them and doesn’t beat it over their head, but instead encourages them,” Vargas said.

Bravo said that the captains do a good job of keeping the team confident and ready for the next game after a tough loss. “They remind us that it’s a loss, but it’s okay, and we’re gonna learn from the loss.”