Errors Are Difference as Anaheim Ties Game, Western Loses Title

Western High School’s bid to become co-champions of the Orange League was punctuated by miscues aplenty.

The Pioneers threw intercepted passes, had a punt blocked and, most important, had the game-winning extra point blocked, and therefore, were tied by Anaheim, 13-13, Friday night.

A Glover Stadium crowd of about 7,500 saw the Pioneers lose a chance to share the title, along with Valencia. Instead, Western (7-2-1 overall, 3-1-1 in league) will settle for the second place.

Anaheim (7-2-1, 3-1-1) will be the league’s third representative to the Central Conference playoffs, as the top three teams qualify.

Despite the mistakes, Western supplied a dose of high drama to the regular-season finale.

With 1:45 left, Craig Morales, Western running back, took a reverse around left end and ran 44 yards, tying the score, 13-13.

Morales got a good block from quarterback Joey Huy on one of the two Anaheim defenders on that side of the field. Morales then outran defensive back John Clovery.

The Pioneers began a wild celebration after Morales’ run.

However, Anaheim’s John Barber stunned the Pioneers’ hopes, breaking through the line and knocking down Paco Jiminez’s kick.

Anaheim drove to its own 42 in the final moments, but punted on fourth and two.

“We made too many mistakes,” said Jim Howell, Western coach. “Our kicking game hurt us. And so did our passing. We had too many interceptions.”

Indeed, Huy had three passes intercepted, including two that stopped scoring chances. Another interception set up the Colonists’ second touchdown.

Anaheim never could take full advantage, however.

Coach Ted Mullen, in his first season with the Colonists, was particularly disappointed in the defense of Morales’ run.

“If you get beat with a reverse, you deserve to get beat,” Mullen said. “That’s the easiest thing in the world to defend.”

In addition to the reverse, Western managed to do some things correctly. The Pioneers dominated in total yardage. Morales rushed for 133 yards in 16 carries and Huy threw for 76 yards and a touchdown, completing 8 of 15 passes.

Anaheim’s Joaquin Garcia, a 1,000-yard rusher this season, had just 56 yards in 12 carries against the Pioneers’ hard-nosed defense.

The Pioneers’ took an early lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Huy to Keoni Manliguis with 3:11 left.

Then the mistakes started.

The Colonists’ Saul Lopez blocked Toby Howell’s punt less then a minute into the second quarter. Anaheim, taking over at the Pioneer 26, scored three plays later on Gerald Holloway’s three-yard run.

On the Pioneers’ next possession, Huy tried to a lob a pass to Howell along the right sideline, but linebacker Jim Sanchez leaped to intercept and Anaheim again had the ball at the Western 26.

Quarterback Robert Aldaz threw a screen pass to Garcia that resulted in a 14-yard touchdown with 6:07 left in the half.

However, Aldaz’s extra point sailed wide left.