PREP FOOTBALL : Pacific Coast League : Woodbridge’s Defense Makes Up for Lack of Offense

Woodbridge High School Coach Rick Gibson found the perfect remedy Friday night for a sputtering offense.

A stubborn defense.

While Woodbridge’s offense bogged down at times, the Warrior’s stingy defense spoiled the homecoming game for Orange with a 14-0 victory at Fred Kelly Stadium. Woodbridge is 8-0, 2-0 in the Pacific Coast League.

Woodbridge held the Panthers to 48 yards of offense (20 of which came on a run up the middle by Richard Valenzuela with 10 seconds left in the game). Orange (2-6, 1-2) could muster only 2 first downs all evening.

“Our defense knows when it’s time to play football,” Gibson said. “Especially when our offense does just enough to win.”

Woodbridge got all it needed in the second quarter when fullback Mike Yurkovich churned over the middle from 2 yards out for a touchdown. The Warriors capped the scoring in the third quarter when Fred Schweer faked a handoff and rifled an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gary Gibson, who was all alone in the end zone.

Meanwhile, linebacker Yurkovich and defensive end P.A. Emerson had their hands full of Orange jerseys. Panther quarterback Scott McMahon was sacked 6 times and gained only 6 yards in 17 carries.

Much of that was due to Woodbridge’s tight coverage, especially by cornerback Ryan Nash against Orange split end Eric McKay. McMahon completed only 1 of 10 passes.

Schweer connected on 14 of 27 passes for 144 yards and 3 interceptions. Two of those passes were picked off by McMahon.

Woodbridge tailback Scott Seymour gained 89 yards in 22 carries.