SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Irvine Defense Has Field Day Despite Conditions

Field position, instead of field conditions, dictated Irvine’s 41-14 romp over Moreno Valley Canyon Springs in the Division IV final Saturday night at Orange Coast College.

Irvine’s defense, led by Chuck Gates and Geoff Hatcher, took advantage of the slippery field, forcing four first-half turnovers, to turn the contest into a rout early. It allowed the Vaqueros to record their third consecutive CIF championship.

“The whole defense was really pumped up,” Gates said. “We wanted to prove something. We won the battle upfront. We were hitting them hard and driving them all over the place.”

Gates, a senior linebacker, had a fumble recovery and an interception, both of which led to Irvine touchdowns. Hatcher sacked Canyon Springs’ quarterback Ryan Roques three times and assisted on numerous, bone-jarring tackles. And they got plenty of help from linebackers George Linares, Jay Wojtkieicz, and Dave Cook among others.

“I was impressed,” Irvine Coach Terry Henigan said. “The defense came through . . . big time.”

Irvine’s defense, with only two starters from last season Division IV title team, had been suspect all season. Usually, it was the offense that would bail the Vaqueros out in close games, several of them high-scoring affairs. Irvine’s defense gave up 61 points in three playoffs entering the title game. However, it rose to the occasion against Canyon Springs, shutting down the Cougars’ offense for three quarters before allowing two fourth-quarter touchdowns that were scored with reserves on the field.

Canyon Springs managed only 71 yards of offense in the first half, including three fumbles and an interception.

On its opening drive, Irvine forced Canyon Springs to punt after three plays, giving the Vaqueros good field position at the Canyon Springs’ 48. Two plays later, tailback Tony Mathis scored on a 48-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with less than three minutes gone.

On Canyon Springs’ next possession, Irvine’s Cook recovered a fumble by Marcelle Williams at the Cougars’ 20, leading to Mathis’ five-yard scoring run three plays later to make it 14-0 with 6:17 remaining in the first quarter.

Gates recovered a fumble by Roques at the Canyon Springs’ 41 with 4:53 remaining in the second quarter, leading to Mike Phelps’ 39-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Louie for a 21-0 lead with 3:49 left in the first half.

A minute later, Gates intercepted a Roques pass at the Canyon Springs 36 with 2:49 remaining. It led to Phelps’ five-yard touchdown pass to Geoff Noisy with 1:52 remaining for a 28-0 halftime lead.

“We just thought it was time to put a strong game together,” Hatcher said. “We have a saying: ‘Put the hardwood on them.’ We did that. It was our best defensive game by far.”

Canyon Springs wouldn’t argue.