FOOTBALL KEY TO COUNTY PREVIEW: 25TH BREAKFAST
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Santa Ana (1-2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
FULL (3-0) | 29 | 35 | 14 | 7 | 85 |
In honor of the 96th Key to the County Game, reps from both Santa Ana College and Fullerton College came together Friday morning for breakfast.
About the Breakfast
The 25th annual Key to the County Breakfast was hosted by Fullerton College on Friday morning with administrators and players of Santa Ana and Fullerton Colleges celebrating one of California's oldest rivalry games. Recently retired Hornet baseball coach and football game announcer Nick Fuscardo was, as always, entertaining as the emcee for the second year in row. Speakers included FC President Greg Schulz, Santa Ana Dean of Kinesiology & Athletics Dr. R. Douglas Manning, Santa Ana Athletic Director Mary Heggarty, and Fullerton Athletic Director Scott Giles. Coaches Geoff Jones and Garret Campbell both stepped up to the mic breaking down the game and what it means to Orange County.
"We're fired up. It's good group of kids- really good. They've come together quite a bit. I've had only one guy drop since the beginning of camp, and that's a huge deal to me. We'll be there tomorrow and I hope you guys show up tomorrow too", Don Coach Geoff Jones.
"I enjoy playing games like this, and I enjoy knowing that we are playing for something a little extra on the line. I enjoy playing against good people- good competition and Santa Ana has both", Hornet OC Garrett Campbell.
About the Game
Fullerton and Santa Ana have battled 95 times since their first meeting 102 years ago, developing the oldest and most storied rivalry in community college football.
In 2017, the Hornets and Dons met at Yorba Linda High's Nathan Shapell Stadium where Fullerton kept the key for the eleventh straight season with a 77-28 victory over Santa Ana. The Hornet win added to the series record for the most consecutive wins from 2007-2017. The previous streak of eight was held from 1963 to 1970 during the Hal Sherbeck era. Santa Ana's longest winning streak stretched six games from 1957 to 1962. The Hornets have been victorious in sixteen out of the last seventeen games the past couple of decades. Since 2007, FC has out-scored Santa Ana College 473-186. The All-time series record now stands at 50-41-4 with the Hornets leading by nine games
The rivalry quickly captured the attention of Orange County, when the teams began meeting on Thanksgiving Day. The "Turkey Bowl," as it was known, lasted from 1925 until 1958 and reportedly drew crowds of 15,000 and more.
During World War II, the game was held on Friday afternoons due to a night curfew. Merchants in Santa Ana and Fullerton actually closed their stores during games because most potential customers were watching the Hornets and Dons battle on the gridiron.
Several times in the series, the stakes have gone beyond local bragging rights.
In 1968, both teams entered the game with records of 6-0, and the game had to be held at newly constructed Anaheim Stadium to accommodate for the large crowd.
Santa Ana dominated the early years of the series holding an 18-7-4 edge through 1951, but then Fullerton Coach Hal Sherbeck came along.
"They told me not to unpack my bags until I beat them," said Sherbeck, who lost to the Dons, 47-16, in 1961, his first season.
Sherbeck and the Hornets would lose again in 1962, but proceeded to win eight straight and 14 of 15
In 1997 former Fullerton mayor (and longtime Hornet fan) Chris Norby introduced "The Key to the County," a perennial trophy to be turned over to the winner of each year's game.
The key was unveiled at the 75th meeting at Titan Stadium on Nov. 15, 1997 in a pre-game ceremony.
The large iron key features Santa Ana's colors (red and black) on one side and lists the score of every Don victory in the series.
The flip side displays Hornet blue and gold with the scores of Fullerton's 49 wins.
Ironically, the key (before it was painted and decorated) hung in a Fullerton restaurant owned by former Hornet running back Tony Bushala. The restaurant sat on the corner of Harbor and Orangethorpe.
WATCH THE GAME LIVE SEPTEMBER 15th at NOON HERE
Key to the County Year-by-Year Results
Year Result
1916 Santa Ana 0, Fullerton 0
1917 Did not play
1918 Did not play
1919 Did not play
1920 Did not play
1921 Fullerton 13, Santa Ana 0 (1st of two in 1921)
1921 Fullerton 35, Santa Ana 0 (2nd of two in 1921)
1922 Santa Ana 25, Fullerton 0
1923 Did not play
1924 Did not play
1925 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 0
1926 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 0
1927 Santa Ana 6, Fullerton 0
1928 Fullerton 20, Santa Ana 6
1929 Santa Ana 19, Fullerton 13
1930 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 13
1931 Fullerton 19, Santa Ana 12
1932 Fullerton 14, Santa Ana 13
1933 Santa Ana 6, Fullerton 3
1934 Santa Ana 6, Fullerton 0
1935 Fullerton 7, Santa Ana 0
1936 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 0
1937 Santa Ana 20, Fullerton 0
1938 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 13
1939 Santa Ana 14, Fullerton 7
1940 Santa Ana 14, Fullerton 7
1941 Santa Ana 6, Fullerton 0
1942 Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 12
1943 Did not play (WW II)
1944 Did not play (WW II)
1945 Santa Ana 7, Fullerton 0
1946 Santa Ana 19, Fullerton 14
1947 Fullerton 20, Santa Ana 6
1948 Santa Ana 22, Fullerton 6
1949 Santa Ana 34, Fullerton 6
1950 Santa Ana 18, Fullerton 18
1951 Santa Ana 14, Fullerton 0
1952 Fullerton 7, Santa Ana 6
1953 Fullerton 20, Santa Ana 0
1954 Fullerton 29, Santa Ana 26
1955 Fullerton 55, Santa Ana 7
1956 Fullerton 42, Santa Ana 7
1957 Santa Ana 6, Fullerton 0
1958 Santa Ana 16, Fullerton 13
1959 Santa Ana 33, Fullerton 21
1960 Santa Ana 19, Fullerton 6
1961 Santa Ana 47, Fullerton 16
1962 Santa Ana 36, Fullerton 12
1963 Fullerton 27, Santa Ana 0
1964 Fullerton 39, Santa Ana 0
1965 Fullerton 14, Santa Ana 13
1966 Fullerton 35, Santa Ana 21
1967 Fullerton 34, Santa Ana 7
1968 Fullerton 28, Santa Ana 7
1969 Fullerton 34, Santa Ana 9
1970 Fullerton 21, Santa Ana 13
1971 Santa Ana 9, Fullerton 7
1972 Fullerton 24, Santa Ana 14
1973 Fullerton 19, Santa Ana 0
1974 Fullerton 36, Santa Ana 7
1975 Fullerton 13, Santa Ana 7
1976 Fullerton 33, Santa Ana 0
1977 Fullerton 42, Santa Ana 7
1978 Santa Ana 42, Fullerton 21
1979 Santa Ana 21, Fullerton 19
1980 Santa Ana 15, Fullerton 10
1981 Fullerton 19, Santa Ana 12
1982 Fullerton 37, Santa Ana 0
1983 Fullerton 33, Santa Ana 7
1984 Fullerton 43, Santa Ana 33
1985 Santa Ana 27, Fullerton 24
1986 Santa Ana 26, Fullerton 23
1987 Santa Ana 27, Fullerton 17
1988 Fullerton 24, Santa Ana 17
1989 Santa Ana 35, Fullerton 10
1990 Fullerton 44, Santa Ana 22
1991 Fullerton 34, Santa Ana 7
1992 Santa Ana 29, Fullerton 28
1993 Santa Ana 41, Fullerton 35
1994 Santa Ana 34, Fullerton 7
1995 Fullerton 24, Santa Ana 17
1996 Santa Ana 24, Fullerton 3
1997 Santa Ana 38, Fullerton 16
1998 Santa Ana 38, Fullerton 7
1999 Santa Ana 31, Fullerton 17
2000 Santa Ana 35, Fullerton 23
2001 Fullerton 24, Santa Ana 7
2002 Fullerton 24, Santa Ana 21
2003 Fullerton 56, Santa Ana 24
2004 Fullerton 36, Santa Ana 28
2005 Fullerton 31, Santa Ana 24
2006 Santa Ana 45, Fullerton 35
2007 Fullerton 20, Santa Ana 18
2008 Fullerton 35, Santa Ana 7
2009 Fullerton 41, Santa Ana 7
2010 Fullerton 41, Santa Ana 10
2011 Fullerton 21, Santa Ana 13
2012 Fullerton 57, Santa Ana 23
2013 Fullerton 56, Santa Ana 35
2014 Fullerton 49, Santa Ana 14
2015 Fullerton 20, Santa Ana 14
2016 Fullerton 56, Santa Ana 17
2017 Fullerton, 77, Santa Ana 28
CONSECUTIVE GAMES PLAYED IN SERIES
72 (1945-present)
LAST MEETING
Fullerton 77, Santa Ana 28 (September 2, 2017 at Yorba Linda High's Nathan Shapell Stadium)
SERIES WON-LOSS RECORD
Fullerton leads 50-41-4
POINTS SCORED IN SERIES
Fullerton: 2,008 (20.98 avg.)
Santa Ana: 1,556 (16.60 avg.)
LONGEST WINNING STREAK
Fullerton: 11 (2007-2017)
Santa Ana: 6 (1957-62)
SHUTOUTS (Last Shutout, Score)
Fullerton: 10 (1982, 37-0)
Santa Ana: 13 (1957, 6-0)
MOST POINTS SCORED, ONE TEAM (Year, Result)
Fullerton: 77 (2017, W, 77-28)
MOST POINTS SCORED, TWO TEAMS (Year)
105 (2017: Fullerton 77, Santa Ana 28)
FEWEST POINTS SCORED, TWO TEAMS (Year)
0 (1916: Santa Ana 0, Fullerton 0)
FEWEST POINTS SCORED IN WIN, TWO TEAMS (Years)
6 (4 times (1927, 1934, 1941, 1957) Santa Ana won 6-0 in all four)
LARGEST MARGINS OF VICTORY
49 (2017: 77 Fullerton, Santa Ana 28)
48 (1955: Fullerton 55, Santa Ana 7)
NARROWEST MARGIN OF VICTORY
1 (5 times – 1932: Fullerton 13, Santa Ana 12; 1942: Santa Ana 13, Fullerton 12; 1952: Fullerton 7, Santa Ana 6; 1965: Fullerton 14, Santa Ana 13; 1992: Santa Ana 29, Fullerton 28)
CONFERENCE TITLES (Last Title)
Fullerton: 26 (2017)
Santa Ana: 17 (1999)
NATIONAL TITLES
Fullerton: 5 (1965, 10-0; 1967, 12-0; 1983, 10-0-1; 2016, 12-1; 2017, 13-0)
Santa Ana: 3 (1940, 11-0; 1942, 9-0; 1962, 10-0)
WINS-LOSSES-TIES BY DECADE (Leader)
Decade W-L-T
1910s 0-0-1 (Santa Ana and Fullerton played to a scoreless tie in their first-ever meeting in 1916)
1920s 5-3-0 (Santa Ana)
1930s 5-3-2 (Santa Ana)
1940s 7-1-0 (Santa Ana, no games played in 1943 and 1944 due to World War II)
1950s 5-4-1 (Fullerton)
1960s 7-3-0 (Fullerton)
1970s 7-3-0 (Fullerton)
1980s 5-5-0 (Tied)
1990s 7-3-0 (Santa Ana)
2000s 8-2-0 (Fullerton leads)
2010s 8-0-0 (Fullerton leads)
