But Faules had 11 carries in the afternoon clash with Fremont at Diesner Field. And two of them were 74-yard touchdown runs that sparked the Mustangs to a 33-14 win over the Firebirds.

Faules' first touchdown run came early in the second half and helped the Mustangs open up a 27-14 lead over the Firebirds. Up to that point, Fremont had hung tough against Homestead.

"My hat's off to [Fremont]," said Homestead coach Charlie Bostic. "I never felt comfortable. How many times were they third and 20 and got a first down? They did a helluva job."

But the Mustangs did all right, too. Homestead ran up 356 yards of total offense and scored four of its touchdowns from more than 50 yards away.

"We settled down a little bit and capitalized on their mistakes," added Bostic, whose club is now 6-1 for the year and 4-0 in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's (SCVAL) El Camino Division. "We won not in the prettiest way, and that's the sign of a great team."

Fremont hung tough against the Mustangs, but while the Firebirds played a gritty game, it wasn't pretty for them either.

"We drove the ball on 'em, but five turnovers will hurt you," said Fremont coach Andy Walczak. "We just dropped too many balls and gave up too many big plays."

Homestead certainly had its share of big plays in the game. Along with the two 74-yard TD runs by Faules, there was a 70-yard touchdown pass from Craig Maynard to Garren Strong and a 59-yard TD run by Brian McGee.

But Walczak was more concerned about his club's performance than he was about the speedy Mustangs.

"It wasn't as much their speed as it was our mistakes," admitted the coach. Fremont threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles to Homestead in the game.

It was an interception that led to Homestead's first score in the game. Ramont Thomas picked off a Fremont pass and returned it 15 yards to the Homestead 41 just five minutes into the game. Two plays later, McGee broke a reverse 59 yards for a touchdown. Eric Dodge kicked the extra point to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.

Fremont answered back, though, before the end of the first quarter. The Firebirds took over after a short punt to face a first down at the Homestead 33. An 11-yard run by Chris Morris and a 12-yard run by quarterback Mike Silva took Fremont to the 1-yard line. From there, DeMarr Mills followed left guard R.J. Davis into the end zone for a touchdown. Everett Bell's kick tied the game 7-7.

Jesse Maes and Gabe Ruiz came through with big defensive plays to stop the Mustangs after the kickoff, and Homestead set up to punt. But a bad snap soared over the punter's head, and Fremont's Leonard Wells recovered at the 1-yard line. A play later, Silva snuck in behind center David McEvoy to give the Firebirds the lead. Bell converted, and it was 14-7.

Faules appeared to return the ensuing kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty nullified the TD and left the Mustangs at their own 30. A play later, Maynard scrambled to his right, then back to his left, and, after getting a big block from Tyler Jordan in the backfield, uncorked a bomb to Strong behind the secondary for a 70-yard touchdown play. Dodge's second kick tied the game again.

Homestead scored again just before the half. A 17-yard run by McGee set up a 16-yard TD toss from Maynard to Strong. Dodge converted, and it was 21-14, with 1:08 left in the half.

Then Faules went to work in the second half. He broke a 74-yard run for a touchdown just a couple of minutes into the third quarter, then took off on another 74-yarder just over three minutes into the fourth period. Strong delivered two blocks on Faules' second touchdown run, one in the backfield and another downfield.

A fumble recovery by Mike VanOrden gave the Mustangs possession of the football just a play before Faules' second TD dash.

Faules finished the day with 201 yards on 11 carries, and McGee added 119 yards on eight tries.

Maynard completed 4 of 9 passes for 90 yards and the two touchdowns. Strong had the two TD catches, and Thomas and Faules each had catches.

Sean Carey was the tackling leader for the Mustangs with 13 stops. Jordan, VanOrden and Keith Moll were in on six tackles apiece, and Faules, Artur Grigorian, Anthony Morales and Thomas also figured among the tackling leaders. Thomas picked off two passes, and Eddie Sumpter intercepted one.

Brian Troyer, Robert Scott, Dodge, Cephus Brown, Jeff Tucker, Jay Smith, Chad Talley and Chris McKim were also among the Homestead tacklers.

Silva was the offensive leader for the Firebirds, hitting on 6 of 19 passes for 101 yards. Jesse Enchill snagged three passes for 74 yards, Morris caught two for 19 and Lance Lesui snagged one for eight.

Enchill was the leading ground-getter, with 40 yards on four carries. Morris supported with 24 yards on nine tries.

Mills was the defensive star for the Firebirds with a quarterback sack and a forced fumble among his 11 tackles. Ruiz finished with seven tackles, including a sack, and Enchill was in on five, one forcing a fumble.

Davis, Marlon Scott, Joe Webber, Jesse Maes, Bell, Ryan Lincoln, Wells, Lesui, Morris, Ernie Vargas and Joe Cortijo were other Fremont tacklers in the game. Bell and Vargas each recovered fumbles and Scott, Wells and Cortijo sacked the quarterback.

The Mustangs will return to Diesner Field this week to host Los Altos on Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.

Fremont, meanwhile, will head to Mountain View on Nov. 1, 2:45 p.m. The Firebirds are 3-4 for the year and 2-1 in the El Camino Division.


Homestead f-s wins

Craig Moberg carried 11 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns and Frank Hernandes ran for a TD to lead the Homestead frosh-soph football team to a 28-19 win over Fremont last week.

The Mustangs improved to 4-3 for the year and 3-1 in the El Camino Division with the win.

Robert Ricana supported with 98 yards on 17 carries in the game, and Hernandes finished with 43 yards on nine carries.

Moberg was also the defensive leader for the Mustangs. He led the club by getting in on eight tackles, and he came through with his fourth pass interception of the year.

Hernandes, Marc Robinson and Tim Kimball were in on seven tackles each, Greg Jackson got in on five and Matt Diehl and Ricana were in on four apiece. Robinson and Jackson each sacked the Fremont quarterback.


Pioneers roll

Cupertino rolled to a 27-9 win over Monta Vista last Friday night to maintain its winning ways in the El Camino Division.

The Pioneers, now 3-0 in league play and 6-1 overall, will host Lynbrook on Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. The Vikings slipped to 1-6 for the year following a 49-12 non-league loss to Palo Alto last week. Lynbrook is 1-2 in league play.

Monta Vista, meanwhile, dropped to 0-4 in the division and to 1-6 for the year with the loss to Cupertino. The Matadors will battle Saratoga on Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m., at Cupertino. The Falcons are 1-3 in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL and 2-5 for the year following a 26-24 win over Santa Clara last week.