Katella Sets Records, But Esperanza Wins

ANAHEIM — For a half, the Katella High School football team looked as if it might spoil Esperanza’s unblemished regular-season record. But in the second half, it was clearly a matchup of two teams going in opposite directions.

Esperanza, buoyed by its dominating running game, defeated Katella, 42-21, to complete its first unbeaten regular season since 1980. The Aztecs (10-0, 5-0 in league), rushed for 431 yards, highlighted by Jarod Smith’s 233 yards and two touchdowns.

It offset a stellar performance by Katella quarterback Chris Reed.

Reed passed for 296 yards and teamed with receiver Art Vance to produce four school records.

Vance, who caught seven passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns, now holds records for most touchdowns caught in a season (eight) and most touchdowns caught in a game by a receiver (three). Reed finished the season with 1,634 yards passing, surpassing Dave Wilson’s 1976 single-season and one-game marks of 1,358 and 278 yards, respectively.