“We need to be mentally tough…it’s a long, grueling season. Physically we are prepared, but we need to constantly stay ahead of the grind, mentally,” Robb Perrance, head coach, said. It was that mental toughness, and a barrage of touchdowns and yardage by senior Christian Steward, that led the Wildcats to a 28-15 win over Fullerton High School on Sept. 20, and a 3-1 overall record.

To no one’s surprise, Steward was the MaxPreps Offensive Player of the Game after scoring all of the Wildcat’s points against Fullerton, which included a 99-yard kickoff return, a 71-yard touchdown reception, a rushing touchdown, and 298 yards of total offense.

Perrance acknowledged even before the game that his team is “very talented.” That talent was on full display against the Indians.

Quarterback Justus Thongphrachanh, sophomore, completed 13 of 16 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. And on the defensive side of the ball, Noah Vonburger, junior, and seniors Austin Saucedo and Eugene Kim, combined for 33 of the Wildcats’ 90 tackles; and Luke Sherman, senior, notched two of the teams’ season high seven sacks.

The win followed a Sept. 23 loss to Sunny Hills High School, 17-10. The Lancers’ ground attack netted 237 rushing yards, while their defense held the Wildcats to 198 yards in the air and on the ground, combined.

Ethan Parish, senior, acknowledged that the Wildcats weren’t at full strength. “That was a good game and we played our best, but some of our teammates were injured [who] would have made a big difference,” Parish said. Parish was a standout on defense with 19 tackles, 14 of them solo, in the loss.

While Steward’s offensive explosion against Fullerton will be talked about for years to come, another memorable outcome was the Wildcats come-from-behind win against the Valencia Tigers on Sept. 6. The Wildcats prevailed, 27-26, despite being down two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Stewards 219 all-purpose yards, including a kickoff return for a 97 yard touchdown, led the offense. Defensively, George Gomez had a pair of sacks, while Kim brought down 10 Tigers with solo tackles.

Through the four games, Thongphrachanh, has been a steady presence on offense, completing 45 of 68 passes for 557 passing yards, throwing three touchdowns, and rushing for another two.

Next up for the Wildcats is the undefeated Ayala Bulldogs, who bring their 4-0 record to BOHS on Friday at 7 p.m.