Sep 6, 2008

King's Academy romps past Fremont

Sussman comes back from injury, runs 221 yards on 8 tries

By Greg Lydon / Daily News Correspondent

Two weeks ago, on the final play of the King's Academy football team intra-squad scrimmage, Coach Ron Kellner thought he had lost his best back for the season.

Senior tailback Ben Sussman was down on the ground holding his shoulder, all signs pointed toward big trouble.

"I really thought we lost him for the season," Kellner said. "It looked like he broke something."

Turning out to only be a severe shoulder stinger, Sussman sat out the final two weeks of practice in order to avoid any more complications before opening night.

After Friday night, Fremont High wished he would have waited to play until next week.

Sussman gashed the firebirds for 211 yards on eight carries, helping King's Academy rout Fremont 47-10 Friday evening at Fremont High in Sunnyvale.

During a stretch between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter, Sussman touched the ball three times. He scored all three times.

Touchdown runs of 20, 36 and 52 aided the blowout surge for the victorious Knights, putting the King's Academy sideline in all smiles during the season opener for both teams.

"For him to come out and play like he did tonight was fantastic," Kellner said of Sussman. "(Fremont) decided to sell out on the power and gave up on the edge."

With the Fremont defense crashing the middle of the formation, King's Academy tailbacks ran free on the edge, using the outside pitch play to get their speedy running backs in space.

Fremont opened the game with the football and quickly moved the ball across the 50.

A heads-up tip on defense by Matt Bosch stalled the opening drive, but the home team got a booming 48-yard by kicker Harrison Waid to grab their only lead of the night at 3-0.

Kellner expected sophomore Amir Carlisle to help replace some of the rushing production lost by last years leading runner Jacob Bliss.

After getting stuffed up the middle for a loss of four on his first carry, Carlisle started a trend that was money all night long on his next carry. Get the rock and bounce outside.

Carlisle danced away towards the open field, then turned on the jets showcasing his raw speed taking the ball to the house for an electric 64-yard touchdown run.

Three more possessions and three more touchdowns followed suit for the Knights, as they stunned a packed stadium full of Firebird fans.

"You can't ask for a better start than this," Kellner said. "It's a great start, but it's just one game. We'll be watching film getting ready for a good Mt. Pleasant team next Thursday. We have a short week. We don't have time to celebrate."

With the offense rolling, sack master Travis Johnson turned his attention to what he does best. Rush the passer.

Johnson helped the Knights' defense keep Fremont quarterback Jordan Sever uncomfortable in the pocket, recording one sack on the night.

Johnson also saw a lot of time at fullback, providing a big presence as a lead blocker.

"Playing offense more this year, I expected to just block all the time," Johnson said. "I just wanted to score one touchdown this year."

Johnson did one better in the first game of the year. He jetted up the middle untouched for an 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter, then busted out for a 51-yard run right through the Fremont defense in the third.

"It was pretty cool," Johnson said. "They told me to run it in the huddle, I just got the ball and took off straight ahead."

Fremont defeated King's Academy in last season's opener.

"It was crazy on the sideline after we started scoring," Johnson said. "Last year they came to our place and beat us. It feels good to beat them this year."

King's Academy will host Mt. Pleasant High in its home opener next Thursday at 7 p.m.





King's Academy 21 13 13 0 - 47

Fremont 3 0 7 0 - 10



First quarter

F - Harrison Waid 48 yard field goal , 8:33

KA - Amir Carlisle 64 yard run (Stuart Scott kick ), 7:11

KA - Ben Sussman 20 yard run (Scott kick) , 1:48

KA - Sussman 36 yard run (Scott kick) , :11

Second quarter

KA - Sussman 52 yard run (Scott kick ), 9:51

KA - Travis Johnson 12 yard run (PAT blocked), 5:39

Third quarter

KA - Johnson 51 yard run (PAT failed), 11:14

F - Patrick Washington 57 yard fumble return (Waid kick), 7:37

KA - Carlisle 19 yard run (Scott kick), 2:11



RUSHING-King's Academy, Ben Sussman 8-211, Rizal Marquez 2-54, Carlisle 5-102, Johnson 3-76, Justin Tenedora 10-60, Ben Leong 3-8. Fremont, Patrick Washington 10-22, Jordan Sever 14-38, John McDowell 2-20.

PASSING-King's Academy, Tim Mohnhaupt 1-4 31. Fremont, Sever 5-11 122.

RECEIVING-King's Academy, Marquez 1-31. Fremont, McDowell 1-33, Westly 2-62, Chris Latini 2-27.