PREP FOOTBALL : Orange League : Valencia Rolls Past Western

Valencia High School’s defense, outstanding all year, combined with a stellar offensive performance Friday night and the result was a 29-8 victory over Western and the Tigers’ sixth straight Orange League championship.

With the victory in front of 900 at Handel Stadium, Valencia becomes the league’s No. 1 representative in the Division VI playoffs at 9-0-1, 5-0. Western (4-6-0, 3-2) is the No. 3 representative and Anaheim No. 2, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s Anaheim-Savanna game.

Anaheim (3-1) figures to defeat Savanna (0-4), but even in the unlikely event of a Savanna victory, Anaheim and Western would be tied at 3-2 and Anaheim would get the edge by virtue of its victory over Western.

Friday, Valencia scored the only points of the first half, driving 68 yards in 12 plays on their first possession. Running back Keef Leasure, who netted 155 yards and 1 touchdown in 25 carries, rushed 6 times for 63 yards during the drive, including a 20-yard run on third and 13 at the Western 28. The run set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Tracy Garrett to Guy Shepard (5 catches for 43 yards and 1 touchdown).

Entering the game, Valencia’s defense had held four teams scoreless and given up 7 points only once. The Tigers might have held the Pioneers scoreless, too, if not for Leasure’s fumble on his 33 in the third quarter. Western’s Robert Southern recovered.

After losing yardage on successive runs, Western got some help in the form of a 15-yard facemask penalty, advancing the ball to the Valencia 23.

On the next play, quarterback Miles Roberson dropped back to pass, scrambled away from a heavy rush and found Kaene Soto 7 yards upfield. Soto did the rest, taking the ball into the end zone for Western’s only touchdown.

Valencia scored once in the third quarter, with Garrett hitting Randy Roskelly for a 9-yard touchdown pass. The conversion pass made it 15-8.

In the fourth quarter, Valencia scored 2 more touchdowns--on an 11-yard pass from Garrett to Duane Allen and on a 1-yard run by Leasure. Garrett completed 11 of 14 passes for 101 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.

“What hurt us more than their defense was their offense,” Western Coach Jim Howell said. “We just couldn’t stop them.”

Valencia had 333 yards to Western’s 124.