NCL football roundup: Fort Bragg QB smashes records in 54-8 win against South Fork

As far season-openers go, it doesn't get much better than the way Friday night went for Fort Bragg and the Timberwolves senior quarterback Kaylor Sullivan. Host Fort Bragg defeated South Fork 54-8 and Sullivan broke his own school record for yards passing with 480 on 32 of 46 passing.

Sullivan threw for seven touchdowns in three quarters and completed passes to 10 different receivers. Sullivan set the previous Fort Bragg yardage passing record in the 2014 season opener with 462 in a 45-35 loss at Kelseyville. Unlike last season, however, Sullivan's big night on Friday helped earn the victory for the Timberwolves.

'Kaylor is off to a flying start,' Fort Bragg coach Roy Perkins said. 'The way he distributes the ball is incredible.'

Leading all receivers was Lucas Triplett, who had eight catches for 190 yards and four touchdowns.

The game was effectively over by the end of the first quarter as Fort Bragg built a 27-0 lead and added a score in the second quarter for a 34-0 advantage at halftime. The Timberwolves defense forced South Fork to struggle offensively and allowed only one touchdown, which came after starters had been lifted.

'Our defense played extremely well. Our defense is way ahead of where we were last year,' Perkins said. 'This was an excellent start. We just have to clean up a few things such as penalties.'

De Anza 13, Kelseyville 7

At Kelseyville, the host Knights were up 7-0 at halftime but gave up two rushing touchdowns in the third quarter and that proved to be the difference in the game.

Knights running back Noah Lyndall scored on a 3-yard run with 4:00 to play in the first half. De Anza (1-0) score on running plays of 14 and 15 yards in the third quarter against a fatigued Knights defense.

'I think our guys got gassed. Our defensive line got a little bit tired,' Kelseyville coach Erick Larsen said. 'I think our conditioning was a factor plus we have a lot of two-way kids.'

Kelseyville had one last chance after forcing the Dons to punt on a fourth-and-25 from the Dons' 40-yard line. However, the Knights were flagged for roughing the kicker giving De Anza a first down. Then on the next set of downs the Dons had fourth-and-four when the Knights jumped off-sides giving De Anza another first down.

'Those plays were complete mental breakdowns,' Larsen said. 'To battle the whole game and make those kinds of mistakes is tough.'

Kelseyville got the ball back in its own territory with 2:30 to play but went four and out and suffered the loss without a final rally.

'De Anza was a really good team, they had size and speed,' Larsen said.

Running back Devin Dugger led the Knights' offense with 79 yards rushing on nine carries.

Cloverdale 28, Berean Christian 24

Cloverdale rallied from a 24-7 deficit in the third quarter and scored 17 unanswered points to pull off the improbable comeback victory. The host Eagles (1-0) won it with a go-ahead touchdown on a 70-yard punt return by Luke Bernardi with 4:00 to play in the fourth quarter. Berean Christian (Walnut Creek, 0-1) had one last chance on offense but was stuffed by the Cloverdale defense.

'It was a very exciting game,' Cloverdale coach Chad Prieskorn said. 'We stayed in there and got the win.'

Bernardi also scored on runs of four and five yards before his late-game heroics.