ORANGE – Ethan Mundt’s return to action for Troy’s football team had the expected impact.
Mundt rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the Warriors’ 37-0 win over Canyon on Thursday in an Iota League game at El Modena High.
Troy, No. 23 in the Orange County Top 25, is in first place in the six-team league with a 3-0 league record. Irvine and El Toro, both 2-0 in the Iota League, play each other Friday at El Toro High.
Canyon is 2-6 overall and 0-3 in league.
Mundt (5-10, 205), a senior, had missed Troy’s previous two games, league wins over Santa Ana and Sonora, because of an unspecified injury. He had rushed for 858 yards and 13 touchdowns over five nonleague games, averaging 8 yards a carry and 173 yards a game.
He was excited to be back in action with a team that he said is a close group.
“It was really fun,” Mundt said. “We’re just full of personalities. It makes practices and everything way more fun.”
Also happy to have Mundt on the field again was his cousin, Troy senior linebacker Fisher McDonald who tackled a Canyon running back in the end zone for a safety and a sack.
McDonald and Mundt have played football together since their Pop Warner days.
“He’s always been a stud,” McDonald said of Mundt.
Mundt did not play after Troy’s first offensive possession of the second half, exiting the game when the Warriors had a 30-0 lead.
Canyon took the opening kickoff and drove to the Troy 1-yard line. The Comanches went for the touchdown on fourth down but fumbled. Troy’s Roy Bouaker picked up the loose ball and sprinted 94 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Troy’s Andrew Green returned an interception 40 yards to the Canyon 1. Mundt busted through the line for the touchdown to make it 14-0.
After a Troy fumble at the Canyon 2 gave the Comanches the ball there early in the second quarter, McDonald burst into the Canyon backfield for a safety to extend the lead to 16-0.
A 2-yard touchdown run by Mundt gave the Warriors a 23-0 lead. An interception by Troy’s Noah Torosian ended a Canyon possession in the final minute of the first half.
Troy quarterback Mason Mays connected with Jordan Williams for a 39-yard touchdown pass for a 30-0 lead.
Jackson Hintz, who rushed for 85 yards, scored on a 1-yard dive midway through the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
Canyon got a great performance from junior receiver Noah McClary. He found ways to get open all night, catching 14 passes from senior quarterback Alexander Lundsberg for 183 yards.
Lundsberg completed 21 of 33 passes for 231 yards. He went into the game averaging 332 passing yards a game.
Troy coach Michael Echaves was pleased with many aspects of Thursday’s game, especially the Warriors defense.
“Defense played lights out,” Echaves said. “To hold a team like that scoreless is truly impressive for our defensive staff and our defensive players.”
Canyon’s leading receiver Kellen Rommelfanger did not play and is out for the season because of a broken collarbone. He finished his senior year with 60 receptions for 805 yards and six touchdowns and was two receptions away from the school career record when his season ended.
