Valencia’s Big-Play Defense Stifles La Mirada

Valencia used three field goals and an opportunistic defense to knock La Mirada from the ranks of the unbeaten Thursday night with a 23-6 nonleague victory at Valencia High.

Luis Garcia kicked field goals of 20, 22 and 22 yards and the Tiger defense intercepted three passes to preserve Valencia’s fourth consecutive victory.

After Garcia gave Valencia (4-1) a 3-0 first-quarter lead, La Mirada drove 80 yards to take a 6-3 lead on a 32-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Palumbo to Albert Smith in the second quarter.

Valencia went ahead to stay with a 75-yard drive climaxed by Steve Munoz’ seven-yard touchdown run. Jermaine Gray helped the Tigers take a 13-6 halftime lead by returning a pass interception 38 yards to the La Mirada 30, setting up Garcia’s second field goal with six seconds remaining.

With Valencia’s defense holding La Mirada to 122 yards total offense for the game, including 34 yards rushing, the Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter with pass interceptions by Rhett Shepard and Jeremiah Springer, both of which led to scores.

Garcia’s third field goal gave the Tigers a 16-6 advantage and quarterback Rob Petko hit Gray with a three-yard scoring pass with 2:58 remaining.