ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Orange League : Anaheim Beats Brea for Berth in Playoffs : Second-Place Colonists Control the Ball in 18-7 Victory Over Wilcats

Anaheim High School controlled the football for all but 3:11 of the second half as it defeated Brea-Olinda, 18-7, in Glover Stadium at Anaheim.

With the victory, the Colonists (4-1, 6-4) advanced to the Central Conference playoffs as the second-place team from the Orange League. Brea finished the season at 2-3 and 4-6.

Despite its advantage in time of possession, Anaheim held only a 12-7 lead until junior Joaquin Garcia scored on a three-yard run with 3:48 remaining after a Wildcat fumble. Garcia finished with 184 yards rushing in 28 carries and caught 4 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Garcia finished the season with 1,002 yards rushing.

Anaheim held a 9-0 lead at the half thanks to quarterback Ernest Johnston’s 51-yard touchdown pass to Garcia with no time remaining in the second quarter.

The Colonists had taken possession at their own 48-yard line with 20 seconds left in the period after a botched Wildcat field goal attempt. After a run up the middle netted one yard, center Rolando Sanabria snapped the ball as time expired. Garcia raced under the ball at the eight-yard line, avoided a tackle and stumbled into the end zone for the score.

Although Anaheim held the ball for all but one play in the third quarter, Brea-Olinda was still in the game because of a determined defensive effort. After forcing Anaheim to turn the ball over on downs, the Wildcats scored on a 94-yard pass play from junior quarterback Shon Riley to Russ Barnes. Mike Oziminski’s extra point moved them to within two, 9-7.

Riley completed 11 of 23 passes for 238 yards.

Valencia 39, Savanna 8--Quarterback Chris DeRisio completed only three passes but all of them went for touchdowns as the Tigers clinched their fourth straight Orange League title in Anaheim’s Glover Stadium.

Tailback Dorian Estes gained 158 yards in 12 carries and scored on runs of 44 and 3 yards.

The Tigers, who finished the regular season 8-1-1, will be the league’s No. 1 representative in the Central Conference playoffs next week. Savanna finished 4-6.