Irvine’s League Title Drought Comes to an End After 15 Years

The celebrating began with 1:06 remaining and Irvine on Capistrano Valley’s four-yard line. The final seconds, as well as another touchdown, were an afterthought as 15 years of frustration were finally ending for Irvine.

Quarterback Jason Minici pounded the ground. Coach Terry Henigan head-butted several of his players. Former players flooded the field. This was no time for holding back as Irvine won its first South Coast League football championship Saturday night.

Irvine did it the hard way, rallying for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 17-13 victory in front of an overflow crowd of 6,000 at Irvine High.

Irvine (8-2, 4-1) had scoring drives of 73 and 70 yards in the fourth quarter to erase a 13-3 deficit. The winning touchdown came with 1:54 remaining when Minici threw a six-yard scoring pass to Danny Kang in the left corner of the end zone.

It was an uphill battle for Irvine all night. The Vaqueros had five scoring opportunities in the first half but repeatedly self-destructed deep in Capistrano Valley territory. Irvine dominated the half but managed only a 31-yard field goal by Dave Bilek.

Capistrano Valley (5-5, 3-2) faded quickly after a strong first quarter. Defensive back Scott Patton intercepted a Minici pass, setting up a 30-yard touchdown run by Alan Perlas. Patton then threw a 54-yard scoring pass to Jonathan Leviste.

But Capistrano Valley rarely generated any offense in the second half, and as a result, the defending Southern Section Division II champion probably will be on the outside looking in when the playoff pairings are announced today.

Irvine finds itself in the unusual position of being the league’s No. 1 representative in postseason play, followed by Dana Hills (6-1-3, 3-1-1) and Mission Viejo (7-3, 3-2). Mission Viejo gained the third berth because of its 14-7 victory over Capistrano Valley last week.

Afterward Saturday night’s game, when Henigan had finally calmed down, he said he was grateful to all the former players who lined the sidelines.

“This is the kind of night that you coach all of your life for,” he said. “There are so many people to thank, but mostly, it’s the guys who have gone through the program and realize how special this title really is.”

A couple of current players should also receive a big thank you.

Minici, who had 210 yards passing, kept his cool under pressure in the last quarter and repeatedly rallied Irvine when it appeared the Vaqueros might fall short.

Running back Scott Seal, who had 174 yards rushing and a touchdown, was the catalyst of the Capistrano upset. Seal gained the key yardage against a strong defense that was geared toward stopping Irvine’s running game.