Western Stops Rancho Alamitos : Football: Pioneers shut down Vaqueros, who were averaging 30 points per game, 10-0.

The last thing Western Coach Jim Howell said he expected from his team was a shutout in Saturday night’s nonleague game against Rancho Alamitos.

Rancho Alamitos came in averaging 30 points per game, but the Pioneers’ defense silenced the Vaqueros with a 10-0 victory at Western.

Western (3-0) gave up 221 yards to Rancho Alamitos, but never allowed the Vaqueros inside its 23.

“I didn’t expect to shut them out, but I’ll take it,” Howell said. “They ran the ball on us, but our defense is like that old adage--we bend, but we wouldn’t break.”

There was nothing fancy about Western’s offense, which was led by running back Matt Frembling. Frembling, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior, rushed 15 times for 87 yards, including 59 yards in the first half. David Bell kicked a 45-yard field goal on Western’s first possession, and it held for a 3-0 halftime lead.

The teams played a scoreless third quarter, then Western’s Justin Starkey took over in the fourth. On the second play of the quarter, he caught a pass from quarterback Dean Chambers at midfield, bounced off two tacklers and ran the rest of the way for a 60-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 10 minutes 23 seconds left.

Rancho Alamitos (2-1) drove to Western’s 43 on its next possession, but Starkey intercepted a Kevin Frank pass and returned it to the Vaqueros’ 49, sealing the victory.

Chris Young led Rancho Alamitos with 91 yards in 20 carries. Kevin Allen, who scored four touchdowns in his first two games, added 83 in 15 carries, all in the second half. Vaquero quarterback Kevin Frank, who injured his right ankle in the third quarter, completed four of 12 passes for 47 yards and threw one interception.