PREP FOOTBALL : Orange League : Valencia Rolls Over Magnolia

It isn’t that Ray Pallares of Valencia High School is tired of setting records, but Thursday night, something more important weighed on the mind of Orange County’s all-time leading rusher.

It hardly mattered to the senior running back that he had gained a career-high 282 yards on 36 carries and scored 3 touchdowns in the Tigers’ 26-0 win over Magnolia in Bradford Stadium.

Instead, Pallares’ thoughts were with teammate Robert Rangel, who remains in a Brawley hospital where he is recovering from severe injuries he suffered in a dune buggy accident last weekend.

“I’ve been thinking about Robert all week,” a tearful Pallares said after leading his teammates’ postgame prayer for Rangel. “I think I played so well because I dedicated the game to him.

“So did the whole team. I talked to him on the phone today, and he’s getting better. They might even transfer him to a hospital here. I sure hope they do because Robert is a great guy.”

Pallares, who eclipsed Myron White last week as the county’s all-time career rushing leader with a 238-yard effort against Savanna, is hardly the kind of player who needs extra inspiration. Unfortunately for Magnolia, Pallares was a man on a mission Thursday.

In front of a crowd of 4,500, Pallares twisted, turned and struggled for every extra yard he could get in leading fourth-ranked Valencia (2-0 in league and 6-1 overall) to its sixth straight victory after a season-opening loss to Westminster.

The Tigers ran over the Sentinels (1-1, 5-2), who are seeking their first winning season since 1971, on both lines of scrimmage and won the game much more easily than the score would indicate.

An interception by Brett Gregory of Magnolia quarterback Mike Tietge gave the Tigers the ball at the Sentinel 36-yard line and set up Valencia’s first score. Five plays later, Tony Goulet scored on an 18-yard run for a 6-0 Valencia lead at the 2:20 mark of the first quarter. After that, it was all Pallares, who went on to enjoy his best game since a 242-yard performance against Fullerton in a 1983 CIF Southern Section Central Conference playoff game.

Pallares carried the ball seven times on Valencia’s eight-play, 69-yard scoring drive in the second quarter. His 38-yard run moved the ball to Magnolia’s 14, and three plays later, he scored his first touchdown on a one-yard run.

Valencia, with its huge offensive line making similar-sized holes in Magnolia’s defense, scored twice in the third quarter to put away the game.

The Tigers drove 80 yards on eight plays on the opening possession of the second half with Pallares leading the way. The running back, who has 4,611 yards in his career and 1,299 this year, broke loose for gains of 23, 25 and 19 yards to help move the ball to Magnolia’s 2. From there, Pallares scored to make it 18-0 with 8:30 left in the quarter.

Mike Edwards’ interception of Tietge later in the quarter set up Valencia’s final score, a one-yard run by Pallares. Up to that point, the Tigers had not had a successful conversion. But this time, quarterback Jeff Martinez, who didn’t complete a pass all night, hit Pallares for the two points and a 26-0 lead.

Valencia had 410 total yards, all rushing, while limiting Magnolia to 110.