Fewell Powers Unbeaten Valencia to 40-7 Victory Over Troy

If Valencia High School’s football team makes the long trip to a Southern Section championship game for the third consecutive year, the Tigers should benefit from their own brand of super fuel.

John Fewell, a junior running back, gained 207 yards in 26 carries and scored two touchdowns Thursday night to lead Valencia to a 40-7 nonleague victory over Troy at Fullerton High School.

The score, Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo said, was not nearly what he expected.

“Yeah, I anticipated the game to be a real close, hard-fought battle,” Marrujo said. “That happens sometimes. You can’t explain it. It just does.”

Valencia (4-0) simply outpowered, outdefended and outran Troy (2-2) in every phase of the game.

In the first half, the Tigers scored on four of their five possessions for a 26-0 halftime lead, and allowed Troy to cross midfield just once, to the 41.

Fewell, who is 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, showed that he is powerful as well as quick. Many of his gains were made by dragging several defenders along the way. His two touchdown runs came on four-yarders, in the second and third quarters.

Troy gained just 95 yards in total offense, thanks to a stifling Valencia defense. In its first possession of the second half, Troy quarterback Greg Windle passed 12 yards to Steve Friedrich for Troy’s touchdown.

Valencia sophomore defensive back Ryan Roskelly, younger brother of former Tiger star Randy Roskelly, stood out on defense and offense. At running back, he scored the Tigers’ fourth touchdown on a two-yard dive over the middle.

Valencia quarterback Richard Wells completed six of 13 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, and ran for another.