Saugus pash rush and big plays kill Valencia

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Valencia QB Graham Wilbert, who’s been electrifying in his last three games, didn’t have a chance to get things done properly for the Vikings on Friday night.

Sure, he connected on 19 of 26 passes for 321 yards and two TDs, but when you’re sacked 10 times, well, it’s no wonder Saugus was the one that came away with a 34-19 Foothill League victory.

‘We just weren’t able to move the ball down field,’ Wilbert said. ‘You have to give credit to Saugus -- they played a really great game.’

Wilbert had a tough time weaving through the mess the Saugus linebackers were creating, and it seemed like almost every time he held onto the ball for more than two seconds, guys like LBs Nicholas Green, Jacob Gallegos and twins Ryan and Justin McKillop were in his face.

However, while he knows Saugus’ pass rush had something to do with the loss, Valencia Coach Larry Muir placed the blame elsewhere.

‘We cannot expect to give up too many big plays like we did [In the first half] and expect to beat a team like Saugus,’ Muir said. ‘We couldn’t finish in the red zone ... that hurt us, too.’

(Here’s a photo of Wilbert (#8) and RB Jordan Thompson talking things over on the sideline in the second half.)

- Austin Knoblauch