PREP EXTRA / ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : Irvine Scores 26 After Halftime to Beat Canyon Springs, 33-28

Irvine rallied with 26 points in the second half to beat Moreno Valley Canyon Springs, 33-28, Friday night at Irvine High.

Irvine (3-2) moved ahead, 33-28, on a two-yard touchdown run by Jake Savona with 4 minutes 49 seconds left in the game. The two-point pass attempt failed.

Canyon Springs (1-4), the defending Southern Section Division IV champion, looked as if it might go ahead on its final drive. Quarterback Ryan Beckwith connected with Kevin Maykey on a 10-yard pass, but Maykey was tackled at the Irvine 20-yard line as time ran out.

Irvine was led by Savona and Russ Diehl, who each had two touchdown runs. Savona rushed for 143 yards in 28 carries and Diehl rushed for 110 yards in 22 carries.

Savona helped Irvine grab a 7-0 lead on a two-yard scoring run with 3:47 left in the first quarter. But Canyon Springs build a 14-7 lead at the half on a 48-yard run by Beckwith in the first quarter and a 37-yard touchdown run by Terrell Smith in the second quarter.

Larry Gooden returned the second-half kickoff 92 yards for touchdown and a 21-7 lead for Canyon Springs.

Diehl’s three-yard scoring run with 5:40 left in the third closed the gap to 21-14. A 48-yard touchdown pass from Jared Flint to Corey McCauley with 2:12 left in the third lifted Irvine into 21-21 tie.