Santa Ana Valley Keeps Pressure On in 14-0 Win

Facing a Santa Ana Valley team that hadn’t allowed a point in two weeks, Saddleback High School had to go into Santa Ana Stadium with starting quarterback Paul Delgado sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Santa Ana Valley’s defense pressured Delgado’s backup, Luis Estrella, into completing just two of nine passes for 22 yards and two interceptions as the Falcons (3-1-1) posted their second consecutive shutout with a 14-0 victory.

“We take great pride in our defense here,” Santa Ana Valley Coach Dan Castanon said, “and our program has always been defense-oriented.”

Santa Ana Valley’s offense was just as impressive, racking up 255 yards rushing and playing a ball-control offense that kept the ball away from the Saddleback offense.

Santa Ana Valley quarterback Gary Graves got the Falcons on the board late in the first quarter with a five-yard touchdown run. His score capped an eight-play, 85-yard drive that featured a 49-yard scramble by Graves.

“They just out-physicaled us tonight,” Saddleback Coach Jerry Witte said. “They pretty much did what they wanted to, and ran left, ran right, and ran right up the middle.”

The Falcons’ other score came on a five-yard run by Henry Bratton in the fourth quarter. That run capped a seven-play, 63-yard drive that featured a 34-yard burst from fullback Fono Lutui, who gained a team-high 95 yards in only seven carries.

While the Falcon offense did a good job of keeping the ball away from the Roadrunners (2-2), even when Saddleback had the ball, Santa Ana Valley’s defense shut them down.