Western Ends Its First-Round Troubles

Led by a stingy defense, Western High School defeated Troy, 13-0, in a Southern Section Division VI first-round playoff game Friday at Fullerton High School.

For the Pioneers (9-2), it ended a frustrating trend of losing first-round playoff games. Western has made the playoffs in seven of the last eight years, but this was its first victory.

“So we broke the jinx,” Western Coach Jim Howell said.

Western will face La Mirada in the second round next week.

Western advanced by holding Troy to six yards total offense and turning in its first shutout of the season. The Pioneers’ defense wasn’t stifling as much at it was pesky.

Paced by 5-foot-3, 135-pound linebacker Kevin Byun, who had four solo tackles, and 6-foot-5, 245-pound lineman Tom Cowen, who had a couple of savage sacks, the Western defense stopped the Warriors’ running game and harassed Troy quarterback Greg Windle.

Windle, usually an able thrower, completed only five of 20 passes for 72 yards. And he was sacked four times for total losses of 65 yards.

“I really didn’t think we would be able to shut them out,” Howell said. “But I knew we would play good defense.”

While their defense was shutting down Troy, the offense was barely fairing any better.

Fortuitous field position was helpful, however.

Troy’s Steve Friedrich fumbled the game’s opening kickoff and Western’s John Walder recovered. Although Western quarterback Gilbert Brito couldn’t lead much of a drive from there, he kicked a 28-yard field goal to give Western a 3-0 lead.

A poor Troy punt set up another Brito field goal, this one of 43 yards. That was all the scoring until Corey Manligius scored on a two-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

“We couldn’t get much going offensively, but neither could they,” Howell said.

Troy finished the season 7-4.