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La Habra’s Clark Phillips III gains some yardage against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ Wilson Cal intercepts a pass intended for La Habra’s Kristopher Koontz in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
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La Habra’s Kalani Washington catches a touchdown pass against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
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La Habra’s Jakob Moreno dives into the end zone to score against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
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La Habra’s Ryan Loudon celebrates a touchdown against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
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La Habra’s Ryan Loudon scampers into the end zone to score against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra QB Ryan Zanelli throws a pass against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra Highlanders storm onto the field during a game against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Jamiel Henning gains yardage against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ Wilson Cal intercepts a pass intended for La Habra’s Kristopher Koontz in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra fans cheer against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s colorgaurd and band during a game against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra students celebrate a touchdown aginst Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ Jun Ahn scores agasint La Habra in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ QB Luke Duxbury is sacked by La Habra in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s QB Ryan Zanelli adjusts his helmet after evading a sack by Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Ryan Loudon scampers into the end zone to score against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Jamiel Henning gains yardage against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Kristopher Koontz gets around the last Sunny Hills defender to score in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ QB Luke Duxbury throws against La Habra in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
Sunny Hills’ Jun Ahn scores agasint La Habra in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Jr. ROTC at the beginning of a game against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
The La Habra band in action during a game against Sunny Hills in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer) -
La Habra’s Kristopher Koontz gets around the last Sunny Hills defender to score in a Freeway League football game at La Habra High Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
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LA HABRA – The La Habra football team boasts a talented pair of juniors that few schools can match up with.
While Clark Phillips III was his usual brilliant self in a 56-14 win over Sunny Hills on Friday night, Ryan Zanelli was every bit as important to the Highlanders’ success in the Freeway League contest.
The junior quarterback threw for 319 and five touchdowns to help snap Sunny Hills’ five-game win streak.
La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta complimented his quarterback’s performance while keeping him humble all in the same breath.
“He played really well, but I think sometimes he gets a little bit too aggressive down field,” Mazzotta said. “He might have a crossing route underneath and he’s going to try and squeeze that ball in there and he usually does, so you gotta hand it to him.
“I want him to be aggressive, but there’s times where you take what you get, dump it off and let one of our (playmakers) catch it and run for a first down or big score.”
Zanelli put the ball in the hands of his playmakers early and often as Phillips caught a 46-yard score and La Habra (3-4, 2-0) jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.
Sunny Hills (5-2, 1-1) crawled back into the game by taking advantage of three second-quarter turnovers by the Highlanders and numerous penalties.
After La Habra muffed a punt deep in its own territory, the Lancers recovered at the 16 and Jun Ahn scored from the 3 to make it 14-6.
Jamiel Henning gave the Highlanders excellent field position on the ensuing kickoff return and one play later Kalani Washington scored on a 46-yard TD pass from Zanelli to make it 21-6.
After Sunny Hills went three-and-out on their next possession, Zanelli made his first mistake of the game when he was picked off by Wilson Cal.
Luke Duxbury found Railan Peace on the next play for a 23-yard reception and then Ahn scored again, this time from the 8, to make it 21-14 after a two-point conversion.
La Habra turned the ball over on its next drive when Jaylon Medina stripped Zanelli and recovered the loose ball.
After Medina’s strip sack, Sunny Hills coach Pete Karavedas was looking for his team to tie the score.
“It’s 21-14 we have the ball and then Clark Phillips took over a little bit,” Karavedas said.
Phillips made sure Sunny Hills would not get closer as his interception and 46-yard return after the pick stopped the Lancers’ opportunity to tie the game.
Henning went on to score a touchdown on a spectacular diving catch just before halftime as Zanelli lobbed a pass to the back of the end zone to make it 28-14.
The second half was all La Habra as it outscored Sunny Hills 28-0.
La Habra’s defense shut down the Lancers ground game, as Ahn was held to a total of 53 yards.