SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: DIVISION VI : Valencia Takes Away All Options

It was Valencia High School’s gritty defense against Fullerton’s triple-option offense and running back Steve DePhillips.

“We were very concerned because in previous games that has been their big attack, the triple option,” Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo said.

But Valencia’s punishing defense, coupled with a sound offensive performance, proved too much for the Indians, who lost the Southern Section Division VI semifinal game, 20-6, in front of 2,500 in Valencia’s Bradford Stadium Friday night.

Valencia (12-0-1) will play Corona del Mar, a 14-7 winner over Pacifica, for the Division VI championship Friday night.

The Tigers sacked Fullerton quarterback Brent Bice 6 times for minus-29 yards, all in the first half, and stopped runners for no gain on 5 other occasions.

Fullerton gained only 28 yards in the first half, all of them on the ground, as Bice went 0 for 3 passing.

“Our defense played well most of the night,” Fullerton Coach Steve Nishimoto said. “Our offense didn’t do very well and that was my fault. I called some stupid plays. Maybe we should have thrown a little more. Maybe we should have done other things. There were a lot of maybes, but they don’t count. Give the credit to Valencia.”

More specifically, give the credit to the Tiger defense which limited Fullerton to 102 yards in the game and set up scoring opportunities.

Neither team scored in the early going.

With 1 minute 12 seconds to play in the first quarter, Fullerton took possession at its 26. On the first play of the series, Valencia tackle Mike Ehli sacked Bice for a 4-yard loss. The Indians were then penalized for 10 yards. Ehli and middle guard Jose Castillo combined to stop DePhillips for no gain and on third and long, defensive end Duane Allen sacked Bice for minus-2 yards.

Fullerton punted from just outside its end zone to its 36, giving Valencia excellent field position to start the second quarter.

Keef Leasure sprinted for 9 yards, then 2. Kevin Thomas lost 2 yards. Then quarterback Tracy Garrett found wide receiver Scott Wilson for 14 yards to the Fullerton 9-yard line. Leasure (29 carries for 110 yards) ran it in for the touchdown and Scott Wells’ kick made it 7-0.

Valencia’s second score was again set up by the defense, which sacked Bice 2 times for minus-10 yards, forcing Fullerton to punt.

Valenica took over on its 24 and went 76 yards in 9 plays to score on a 19-yard pass from Garrett to Randy Roskelly as time ran out in the half.

Leasure’s conversion run failed, making the score, 13-0.

Fullerton had little success offensively in the second half.

With the ball on the Fullerton 40, the Indians attempted an unsuccessful pass on fourth-and-15.

The Tigers took advantage of the field position. Garrett hit Wilson on a 27-yard completion, which set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Roskelly 4 plays later. Wells’ kick was good, making it 20-0.

Fullerton’s only score came late in the fourth quarter and was set up by Chad Ledbetter, who ran a punt back 49 yards to Valencia’s 33, setting up a 15-yard Bice-to-John Bailey touchdown pass. Fullerton ends the season at 7-5-1.