PREP EXTRA: SATURDAY FOOTBALL PULLOUT : Irvine Takes Advantage of Woodbridge Mistakes

A thorough inspection of the culprit revealed no discernible differences in color, size, shape or texture.

Yes, the football used in the game between Irvine and Woodbridge on Friday night appeared to resemble the official product. Yet the ball might as well have been from outer space, because Woodbridge played as if it was some unidentifiable object in Irvine’s 26-0 Sea View League victory in front of approximately 3,700 at Irvine.

Woodbridge (5-2, 0-2 in league play) fumbled five times and Irvine recovered four of them. The Warriors fumbled in their first four possessions, leading to 13 points for the Vaqueros (3-4, 1-1).

“It doesn’t happen very often,” Irvine Coach Terry Henigan said, “but we’ll sure take it.”

Junior kicker Jamie Bertolli was the Vaqueros’ top weapon, converting four of four field-goal attempts and two points-after. His second field goal, which covered 26 yards, came three plays after the Warriors’ third fumble and gave Irvine a 13-0 halftime lead.

“I was hoping we would score touchdowns (after the turnovers),” Bertolli said. “But I was ready to kick if it came down to it.”

Bertolli also kicked two second-half field goals to put the game out of reach. His 32-yard kick with 9 minutes 39 seconds remaining in the game gave Irvine a 19-0 lead.

“He’s a good junior kicker,” Henigan said. “He really came through for us tonight.”

Actually, solid performances abounded for the Vaqueros.

Senior quarterback Scott Larsen completed nine of 16 passes for 244 yards and one touchdown. He combined with receiver Danny Noisy in the first quarter for a 53-yard touchdown. Bertolli’s kick gave Irvine a 10-0 lead.

And Noisy wasn’t even the Vaqueros’ receiving star of the game.

That distinction went to senior running back Sean Clark, who caught five passes for 117 yards. Three of his receptions covered at least 30 yards.

Senior linebacker Brian Flynn capped Irvine’s rout, intercepting a pass thrown by Warrior senior quarterback Casey Harris in the fourth quarter and returning it 38 yards for a touchdown. Bertolli’s final kick closed the scoring.

Harris’ performance typified the Warriors’ rough evening. He completed only five of 14 passes for 21 yards.

However, it’s not as though he got a lot of support from the running game. In addition to the fumbles, Woodbridge struggled when it did hang on to the ball. Senior running back Theo Wakefield led Woodbridge in rushing with 54 yards in 14 carries.

Woodbridge failed to convert three fourth-down attempts, and the secondary blew assignments throughout the game.