Santa Ana Wakes Up to Beat Valley

Santa Ana Valley High School’s playoff hopes evaporated in the second half of Thursday’s showdown against Santa Ana.

The Falcons were protecting a 7-0 lead with less than a minute to go in the first half when Santa Ana quarterback George Tuioti connected with Royal Wilbon on a 45-yard touchdown pass play. That play appeared to daze Santa Ana Valley and inspire Santa Ana, which gained a 17-7 victory that wrapped up the Century League championship in front of 900 at Orange Coast College.

“That completely took the wind out of us,” said Dan Castanon, Santa Ana Valley coach. “A 7-0 lead at halftime could have completely changed the complexion of the game. But it’s just like it was all year. We played some close games, but we didn’t make the big plays.

“Otherwise, we would be playing next week.”

Santa Ana (9-1, 5-0), which already had clinched a playoff berth, didn’t seem to have its mind on winning a second Century League crown. At least not in the first half.

“We were not prepared to play football tonight,” said Dick Hill, the Saints coach. “Defensively, we wanted to take away the big play and that’s what we gave them.”

But whereas the Falcons did make several big plays, only one counted--Steve Calhoun’s 72-yard pass play to Rashawn Lacy in the first half. And that wasn’t enough to prevent a 2-7-1, 1-3-1 finish.

On the first play of the game, Santa Ana Valley tailback Ralph Henderson broke loose for a 63-yard run, only to be caught from behind at the Santa Ana 15-yard line. Three plays later, Manop Phinouwong’s 32-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.

After forcing Santa Ana to fumble, Henderson gained 20 yards on a run that started a 58-yard drive, which stalled on a fake field goal attempt.

When the Falcons’ Jesse Lynch intercepted a pass by Rob Fanti on a broken field goal attempt, it appeared Santa Ana Valley was in position for an upset.

But with time running out in the half, Santa Ana’s Wilbon outran two defenders down the sidelines and caught Tuioti’s pass for a touchdown.

Wilbon then intercepted Calhoun early in the third quarter to set up Enio Blanco’s 35-yard field goal. Wilbon’s 23-yard return of the next Santa Ana Valley punt set up a 40-yard scoring march capped by Robert Lee’s three-yard run.

Lee gained 120 yards in 20 carries to give him 1,082 yards for the season.

Ralph Henderson gained 122 yards for Santa Ana Valley.