By Grant Gordon
For the Signal
It was a bit of a contentious start for the Saugus High football team on Friday evening.
But when it all ended, the Centurions had another blowout victory as quarterback Cole Gallagher had four total touchdowns and Saugus scored 20 fourth-quarter points to pull past Agoura, 51-26, to start the season at 2-0 for the second time in three seasons, but just the third this decade.
Gallagher had three rushing touchdowns on 15 carries for 62 yards while throwing another touchdown as he completed eight passes in 16 attempts for 124 yards, managing the Centurions through what was a close game through three quarters against the Chargers (1-1).
“That’s what we ask of Cole,” Cents coach Jason Bornn said. “We want him to manage the game.”
Saugus ran the ball 52 times for 328 yards with running back Reid Huseman rumbling for 133 yards on 22 carries, while Joshua Bond added 128 yards on 10 carries and a 43-yard touchdown that turned the game for good.
Just eight seconds into the fourth quarter, Agoura quarterback Trent Butler, who was 21-for-32 for 354 yards and four touchdowns, threw a 14-yard score to Gil Levi (10 catches for 143 yards and two scores) that brought the Chargers within 31-26 after Saugus’ Devin Thompson intercepted the ensuing two-point attempt.
On Saugus’ ensuing drive, Huseman went down with an injury, but he walked off and was fine at the end of the game. Bonds came in and promptly brought the Saugus fans to their feet when he scored from 43 yards, leading to a 37-26 advantage.
Robert Vega made a brilliant interception on the following drive to all but seal the game as the Centurions sped past the Chargers by winning the fourth quarter, 20-6.
“At the end of the day it just comes down to, into the fourth quarter, we work a lot on conditioning and preparing for situations like that,” Bornn said.
The Centurions, who began their season with a 63-0 drubbing of the City Section’s Taft in the zero week, got a five-yard first-half touchdown catch from James Sumpter and a 25-yard field goal from Colton Dolder for a 17-13 halftime lead.
In the fourth quarter, Myles Garrett had a six-yard touchdown run and Carson Smith had a strip-sack that he turned into a 28-yard return for a score.
