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Two former Fallbrook High School football players returned to San Diego for the Sept. 10 game between Western New Mexico University and the University of San Diego.
Western New Mexico juniors Marquis Sumpter and Kameron Drawhorn are both 2009 Fallbrook High School graduates. Sumpter is now one of Western New Mexico's starting wide receivers while Drawhorn is a starting cornerback and is also the Mustangs' punter and placekicker.
œIt was a great experience. I've got a lot of family here, Drawhorn said.
Approximately 50 Drawhorn family members and 35 Sumpter family members attended the game.
œIt felt good playing back here. I wish we would have got a win, but it still felt good, Sumpter said.
œIt's just a great experience to play in San Diego, play in your hometown, Drawhorn said. œI wish we could have won.
USD won the game by a 30-10 score. Drawhorn made one of his two field goal attempts, converting from 32 yards, and also kicked the extra point which closed out the game's scoring. His three kickoffs, including an unsuccessful onside kick, averaged 40.7 yards while his three punts averaged 43 yards. On USD's first offensive play, Drawhorn made the tackle to hold the Toreros to no gain on a complete pass. Drawhorn had a total of five tackles, two solo and three assisted.
œHe's a hard worker, Clark said of Drawhorn. œDoes some
good things.
Both teams entered the game with 1-0 records. Western New Mexico's Sept. 3 victory was at home against Sul Ross State University. Drawhorn kicked five extra points against the Lobos while missing his only field goal attempt, punted three times for a 39.3-yard average, averaged 59.6 yards on seven kickoffs, made five tackles, and broke up a pass. He also carried the ball on the Mustangs' first offensive play of the season, gaining three yards on his only rushing attempt that day.
œA leader on our team, Clark said. œHe's getting better
and better.
Sul Ross State tied the season opener at 28-28 with a touchdown and extra point with 31 seconds remaining. With nine seconds remaining Sumpter caught a 30-yard pass from freshman quarterback David Ingram for the winning touchdown before Drawhorn kicked the extra point. Sumpter also caught a go-ahead touchdown pass in the third quarter, and he had eight receptions for a total of 126 yards to lead the Mustangs in both categories.
œI just wanted to be aggressive, Sumpter said of the Sul Ross
State game.
Sumpter felt that he adjusted well to the new quarterback. œI think we had a good game, Sumpter said.
œHe's gotten a lot better, Clark said of Sumpter. œHe's
worked hard.
Sumpter was a rotating captain for the game at USD based on his previous week's performance. Sumpter caught seven passes, including six in the second half, for 68 yards against the Toreros.
œHe did some really good things again tonight, Clark said.
There are actually three Sumpter brothers on the Western New Mexico football team. T.J. Sumpter, who graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2008, is focusing on academics this year but plans to return to on-field action in 2012. Juwan Sumpter graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2011 and is redshirting, as is 2011 Fallbrook graduate Johnny Delcoure. Nick Hayes, who graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2008, plans to play for the Mustangs next year after completing most of his academic load. Dwayne Mitchell, who did not play against USD, played for Fallbrook High School before moving to Hawaii after his junior year and graduating from Kalaheo High School in 2009.
œI'm blessed to have a lot of Southern California kids who are good players, Clark said. œWe're going to have a chance to be a pretty good program.
Clark, who is in his second year as the Mustangs' coach, was raised in Santee and played for West Hills High School and Grossmont College before closing out his playing career at St. Ambrose University in Iowa. Including redshirts but not including Mitchell or Hayes, the Mustangs have 18 players from San Diego County on their roster - as many players from San Diego County as USD has on its roster - along with six players from Riverside County and one from Imperial County. Although USD's 2012 schedule will not allow for a return visit by the Mustangs, Clark hopes to play somewhere in Southern California next year and would like to return to USD during the 2013 season.
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