Valencia Beats Savanna, Improves to 6-0

Valencia High School made the right plays when they were needed in its Orange League opener against Savanna, coming away with a 27-17 victory at Glover Stadium Friday night.

Valencia (6-0, 1-0) showed why the Tigers have won or tied for the Orange League championship the past seven years. Savanna--which forfeited all of its games last season for using an ineligible player and lost a share of the league championship--tried to play catch-up with Valencia, but couldn’t.

Valencia jumped to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter on touchdowns by quarterback Marc O’Brien and running back Korey Alexander, with Dave Greer kicking the extra points.

Savanna (3-2-1, 0-1) scored with 10 seconds left in the second quarter on a pass from quarterback Brad Belanger to Vince Flores. Savanna attempted a two-point conversion, but failed. Scott Thompson added a 35-yard field goal in the third, making the score 14-9.

Three minutes later, the Tigers’ Willie Barnes romped in from 10 yards out, giving the Valencia a 21-9 lead.

Belanger, who completed 20 of 35 passes for 259 yards, hit Flores with a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and Jeff Ragos scored on a two-point conversion.