Secoda Leads Valencia’s Second Chance : Football: After forfeits almost ruin Tigers’ season, quarterback/free safety rallies them into the playoffs.

Joe Secoda stood before his Valencia teammates and gave an impassioned pre-game speech.

“Listen up you seniors,” he told them, “this could be it!

“We need to get back in the league race. Everybody, we have to play our hardest. Don’t leave it on the field!”

It was moments before the Magnolia game. Valencia already had forfeited two victories and a tie, and was winless in two Orange League games. The Tigers were 1-5-1. There was no way they could finish the regular season with a winning record. If they were going to qualify for the playoffs, they had to do so legitimately--by finishing first, second or third in the league race.

And that night, Secoda passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns, and Valencia won, 28-7. And the next two weeks, the Tigers defeated two teams that were unbeaten in league, Western (24-7) and Brea-Olinda (10-7). And Valencia reached the playoffs.

Secoda and his coach, Mike Marrujo, agree on one thing: Secoda’s greatest asset is his leadership.

One need only look to Secoda’s other sports to see how apparent his leadership and athletic skills are: In basketball, he’s a point guard; in baseball, he’s a shortstop and pitcher.

And on the football field, Secoda is the quarterback and free safety. Not only did he pass this season for 10 touchdowns, with only four interceptions, but he also intercepted a county-high eight passes.

“He’s the only kid we’ve ever had that we let play quarterback and defense,” Marrujo said. “He’s such a good athlete, and he did so well last year at safety that we hated to not use him. We couldn’t afford to not have him back there.”

Secoda has 16 interceptions in two seasons. He would have played varsity during his sophomore year, but was too young--only 14.

Secoda turns 17 on Saturday, the day after Valencia opens the Southern Section Division V playoffs against Westminster. The Tigers are the Orange League’s No. 2 entry because it held the tie-breaker advantage over Brea. And it beat Brea, 10-7, because it got a 38-yard field goal and 53-yard scoring run by Secoda.

It was only the second time in 12 seasons that Valencia didn’t win the league title, but the prospect of not making the playoffs was even worse. It would have been the first time in 15 seasons the Tigers had failed to qualify.

“That put a little more pressure on us,” Secoda said. “There’s something at Valencia--they’ve found a knack for winning.”

They’ve found that knack because they’ve found players like Secoda, whose importance on this team can’t be overstated. In addition to being quarterback, free safety and kicker, he also punts.

“Playing quarterback and free safety helps,” Secoda said. “I can read the quarterback and I can read the safety because I know what I would be doing.”

But his value goes beyond his physical skills; his first-hand insight is complemented his knowledge of the playbook and scouting reports.

“He calls the offense and knows everybody’s position,” Marrujo said. “I tell the kids, if you ever panic and don’t know where to be, just ask Joey. On defense, he can get everybody where they need to be. He’s that sharp.

“He can put everyone on the field in the right position; it makes all the difference. It’s just like having a coach on the field.

And Secoda knows it. He is book smart and football-savvy, and it has come together in a nice little season for him.

“After the football banquet last year, my dad and I were talking to Coach Marrujo and he said I was going to be able to play both ways,” Secoda said. “(Being a quarterback), that made me feel special, like I could do it, and it gave me a lot of confidence.”

All that remains is the happy ending.