Draft’s 4 Scores Boost Valencia Past Covina, 38-9

Chris Draft rushed for 188 yards and four touchdowns as defending-champion Valencia defeated Covina, 38-9, in a Southern Section Division VI first-round football playoff game Friday night at Covina.

Valencia advanced to the second round against top-seeded and unbeaten Charter Oak next Friday night.

Draft, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior, scored on first-quarter runs of 18 and 42 yards, the latter on the first play after a Covina turnover, as Valencia erased a 3-0 deficit.

Valencia (8-3) increased its lead to 17-3 at halftime as Luis Adrian Garcia booted a 25-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

Draft scored on fourth-quarter runs of nine and 25 yards. Reserve Jerry Stewart completed the Tigers’ scoring with an eight-yard touchdown run with 3:21 left.

“We’ve been playing all right, but this game we played real well,” said Draft, who said the four touchdowns was a single-game career high.

“Draft’s a horse,” said Covina Coach Dick Sheehan, whose team finished 4-6. “He’s only a junior, too. That’s scary.”