Fountain Valley Benefits From Turnovers

Fountain Valley scored two touchdowns as a result of two Westminster special-teams turnovers Friday night and won its first game of the year, 14-3, in front of a homecoming crowd of 3,200.

Fountain Valley (1-3-1, 1-1 in league) jumped out to an early lead when Josh Picard blocked a Curtis Holmes punt on the Lions’ first possession. The punt rolled out of bounds at the Westminster 13. On the first Baron play from scrimmage, Fountain Valley quarterback Ryan Bertoni scrambled 13 yards for a touchdown.

The Barons put the game away late in the third quarter on a one-yard Brian Spiridonoff touchdown run. The score was set up when Westminster’s Christian Moore dropped a punt at his own 22, which was recovered by Fountain Valley’s Grant Griffith.

Westminster (2-3, 1-1) which turned the ball over seven times, got its only score in the second quarter on a 37-yard Holmes field goal.

The victory was the Barons’ first of the year, as well as the first victory for Baron Coach George Berg, who took over the Fountain Valley program after serving 18 years as an assistant.

“This one was a long time in coming,” Berg said. “We finally put together four quarters of football. It’s the kids who deserve all the credit.”