JUNIOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Valley Tops Harbor Without a Fight, 24-3

There were no donnybrooks after Valley College’s football game with Harbor Saturday night, but there was a beating just the same.

Harbor, which is on probation for the remainder of the season after its postgame brawl with Pierce two weeks ago, didn’t put up much of a fight against host Valley, falling, 24-3, in a Western State Conference interdivision game.

Afterward, as a precautionary measure, Valley Coach Jim Fenwick kept his players on the field until Harbor had filed into the locker room.

The game had its ugly moments, however. There were 10 turnovers--seven by Harbor--20 punts, and 171 penalty yards (123 by Valley).

Valley (4-0, 3-0 in conference play) built a 17-0 halftime lead, then increased its margin to 24-0 early in the third period when quarterback Sean Fitzgerald tossed a 25-yard scoring pass to Tony Gugliuzza.

Fitzgerald finished 18 of 41 for 163 yards, with one interception.

Harbor (1-3, 0-3) held Valley to 100 yards rushing as backup tailback Eddie Fry (seven carries, 45 yards) outgained starter Irving Carter (13 carries, 44 yards).

Harbor, which didn’t complete a pass until the fourth period, finished with 181 yards and finally got on the scoreboard when Jon Williams kicked a 29-yard field goal with 3 minutes 9 seconds remaining.

Seahawk running back Damin Hurst led all rushers with 80 yards in 21 carries.

Turnovers set up all three of Valley’s first-half scores. The Monarchs recovered a James Frank fumble at the Harbor 28-yard line midway through the first period, and three plays later Carter scored on a six-yard run to break a scoreless tie.

Late in the first period, Hurst fumbled in the Harbor end zone and James Norton recovered for a Valley touchdown. Tim Cronk added the conversion kick to give the Monarchs a 14-0 lead with 2:09 remaining in the period.

A Fitzgerald punt struck Harbor’s Michael James in the foot and gave Valley the ball at the Seahawk 11 eight seconds before halftime. Cronk came on and kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Monarchs a 17-0 lead.

Valley was held to minus seven yards rushing and just 53 yards overall in the first half.

Harbor had 78 yards in the first half, all on the ground.