Fullerton football beats Sunny Hills with fourth-quarter comeback
0Ghana mOctober 24, 2025
Fullerton celebrates their come from behind victory as Sunny Hills’ Kruz Sandle (5) leaves the field during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) (center) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning touchdown during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
A stunned Sunny Hills defense walks off the field as Fullerton celebrates the go ahead touchdown during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) heads to the end zone for a touchdown during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Nathan Vejar (24) recovers an onside kick that was mishandled by Sunny Hills’ Josh Stewart (10) during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) breaks up a long pass intended for Sunny Hills’ Kruz Sandle (5) during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s James Knight (78) eventually gets to Sunny Hills’ Mikael Khan (6) for the sack during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sunny Hills’ Pierrce Sandle (11) intercepts a Fullerton pass in the end zone during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Sergio Andrade (10) looks for a receiver during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s head coach Nick Karavedas during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) celebrates breaking up a long pass with teammate Scottie Leflore (15) during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the Little Lancers cheer group celebrate a Sunny Hill’s fumble recovery during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
It usually took more than on tackler to bring down Sunny Hills’ Tyler Belleville (23) during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) scores the winning touchdown during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sunny Hill’s George Shelledy (2) flies for extra yardage during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
A big first half for Sunny Hill’s George Shelledy (2) included him eluding Fullerton’s Nathan Vejar (24) during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sunny Hill’s George Shelledy (2) scores on this play during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Sunny Hills’ head coach Fred Gambrell during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Evan Tellez-soria (22) contorts himself to score on this pay during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s Caden Wise (21) powers past two Sunny Hill defenders to get in =to the end zone during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Fullerton’s head coach Nick Karavedas during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
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Fullerton celebrates their come from behind victory as Sunny Hills’ Kruz Sandle (5) leaves the field during a Lambda League football game between Fullerton and Sunny Hills at Buena Park High on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
BUENA PARK — Fullerton erased a 12-point deficit with 2:35 left in the game to beat Sunny Hills 35-33 on Thursday night in an important Lambda League football game.
Fullerton took the lead with Caden Wise’s touchdown catch with 21 seconds remaining.
The Indians (7-2, 3-1) now have sole possession of second place in league with one game remaining.
“We talk about responding to adversity. We talk about being tough when circumstances present themselves,” Fullerton coach Pete Karavedas said. “I mean, we fumbled in our own territory, turned the ball over in our own territory. We played pretty awful, to be honest with you, in a lot of ways.
“But our kids believe, and there’s just a toughness and a grit to our boys, and I just…that was one of the most incredible football games I’ve ever been a part of.”
The Lancers (6-3, 2-2) had victory in their grasp after a TD run by George Shelledy made it 33-21. But on their final possession, they were unable to get a first down and turned the ball over on downs, giving Fullerton another chance.
Sunny Hills coach Fred Gambrell took accountability for the risky play call on fourth-and-1 inside the team’s own 30-yard line.
“I should have punted,” Gambrell said, “then they would have to drive the field, right? … And they would, they still would have to onside kick it and all that stuff, but you know, fourth and inches. I made the wrong call, and I should have punted.”
Caden Wise helped Fullerton complete its comeback win over Sunny Hills with a late TD catch on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by David Delgado)
Wise scored on a 3-yard run to make it 33-28 with 1:35 remaining, and then Karavedas had his team go for an onside kick.
Liam Bengard placed his kick in a great spot to be recovered as Nathan Vejar pounced on the ball.
“We knew we had a good onside kick that we’d been working on,” Karavedas said. “It’s just crazy, It’s insane.”
Sunny Hills needed one more stop to escape with a win and appeared to come away with an interception by Pierce Sandle, however, the Lancers were flagged for a late hit on Fullerton quarterback Sergio Andrade, nullifying the interception and the drive continued.
Andrade found Hudon Haiduc, Luke Viramontes and Haiduc again on the next three plays before connecting with Wise on the go-ahead TD.
“In big moments, you just need your best player to make plays and Caden’s an incredible player and made a big play in the moment,” Karavedas said.
Fullerton went on a 14-play scoring drive on its opening possession. Wise capped the drive with a 6-yard run to make it 7-0.
Sunny Hills displayed its quick-strike ability and tied the score on a trick play.
Mikael Khan passed the ball back to Shelledy, who fired the ball to a wide open Pierce Sandle for a 67-yard score.
The Lancers took a 19-14 lead into halftime thanks to a couple of rushing touchdowns from Shelledy, and Khan added a rushing TD in the third to make it 26-14.
“I’m just so proud to be part of this program,” Karavedas said. “I’m so proud to wear red and to make the playoffs for the first time since before COVID, I think. And to get seven wins for the first time since 2017, beat Sunny Hills for the first time since 2017, in our first year, when they’re good. That’s insane. It doesn’t happen very often but I’m at a loss for words.”
