ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Orange League : Western Topples Valencia

Western High School’s defense buried Valencia under an avalanche of bodies, stifling the Tiger offense at every turn Friday night.

As a result the visiting Pioneers won the Orange League opener in convincing fashion, 24-10, in front of 3,000 in Bradford Stadium.

Western held Valencia to a meager 127 yards of total offense in a battle between the league’s top teams. The vaunted Tiger rushing game scratched out only 19 yards in 22 carries.

It must be pointed out that running back Keef Leasure, nursing a tender ankle, was used sparingly. Leasure is Orange County’s third-leading rusher with 697 yards. Friday night, he gained only 5 yards in 8 carries.

The numbers tell only part of the story, however.

On virtually every down, Western had two and three tacklers on the scene before the play had a chance to develop. It was, in effect, a shutout for the Pioneer defense.

Valencia’s points resulted from plays by its defensive unit.

First, Valencia’s Steve Rengel blocked Toby Howell’s punt at the Western 10-yard line. The ball flew into the end zone where Greg Martin picked it up for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead for the Tigers (4-2 overall, 0-1 in league play).

Then, safety Guy Shepard picked up a Pioneer fumble on one bounce at the Valencia 45 and returned it to the Western 18. Three plays netted minus two yards and Paul Rivera kicked a 36-yard field goal, giving Valencia a 10-0 lead with 7:32 left in the half.

Those were about the only lapses Western had.

Western running back William Lusk, who had 118 yards in 12 carries, dashed 35 yards for a touchdown less than two minutes later.

Western (5-1, 1-0) took the lead for good when Mahe Liavaa scored on a one-yard run with 31 seconds left in the half.

In the second half, Western put on an impressive defensive display.

Linebackers Liavaa, Keoni Manliguis and Cameron Bonnell stopped up the few gaps the Pioneer defensive front allowed.

“We were just too worried at the start,” Western running back Craig Morales said. “But our defense helped us through and the (offensive) line took over.”

Morales had 75 yards in 12 carries and touchdown runs of 4 yards and 1 yard.

“We’ve got to remember to come down to earth and keep (the victory) in perspective,” Jim Howell, Western’s coach, said.