PREP EXTRA: SATURDAY FOOTBALL PULLOUT : SEA VIEW LEAGUE : Warriors Lose Again Despite Being Inches From Victory

It was a cruel way for Woodbridge to lose for the seventh time this season.

The Warriors came oh-so-close to winning their first game, but a muffed punt with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter sealed a 7-6 victory for Irvine in a Sea View League game Friday at Irvine High.

Irvine’s Jake Savona rushed for 154 yards in 18 carries, including a 62-yard touchdown run on the game’s second play from scrimmage. The Vaqueros then held on to improve to 4-3, 2-1 in league. Woodbridge is 0-7-1, 0-3.

“[Irvine Coach Terry] Henigan told me after the game that we beat them in all facets of the game,” Woodbridge Coach Rick Gibson said, “except on the scoreboard.”

After Woodbridge’s Mark Kerns made a 29-yard field goal with 4:54 remaining to make it 7-6, the Warrior defense forced Irvine to punt from its 42.

“Irvine had been having trouble punting so we went for the block,” Gibson said. “Matt Stevens just tried to make a great play for us, and . . . “

After Irvine punter Sevan Setian got the kick away, Stevens tried to save valuable yardage by stepping up to receive the short kick. But the ball squirted through his hands and Irvine recovered at the Woodbridge 14.

It was the only turnover of the game for Woodbridge.

Woodbridge, which has been shut out five times this season, twice came close to scoring its third touchdown of the season.

Trailing 7-0 in the closing moments of the second quarter, quarterback Adam Lawyer, who completed nine of 21 passes for 138 yards, moved Woodbridge to the Irvine four after Ricky Jenkins caught a 22-yard pass with 25 seconds remaining.

After taking a delay-of-game penalty with no time outs remaining, instead of risking a sack, Gibson sent Kerns on for a field goal with 15 seconds remaining.

In the fourth quarter, facing a third down from the Irvine 13, Lawyer rolled to his right and his pass bounced off intended receiver Jason Woepse, and landed just inches in front of his diving teammate, Ryan McGuiness. Kerns made a 29-yard field goal to make it 7-6.