ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / PREP EXTRA : DIVISION V : Servite Uses Loara Gifts to Advance

Turnovers were the last thing Loara needed in its first-round playoff game against top-seeded Servite Friday night.

But the Saxons committed six mistakes--four in the first half--to hasten their playoff exit as Servite won easily, 49-20, in a Division V game in front of 3,000 at Cal State Fullerton.

Three touchdown passes by junior quarterback Greg Cicero and two touchdowns and 139 yards rushing by sophomore running back Vince Reed led the Friars into the second round against the winner of today’s game between Irvine and Santa Ana Valley.

Servite’s play on defense pleased Coach Larry Toner most.

“Our defense played well,” Toner said. “Our offense was sporadic at best. But the turnovers and our defense kept us in the game.”

Toner could be guilty of exaggerating a bit, but his defense did play a key role.

Senior linebacker Matt Paul had an interception, a fumble recovery and a sack. Michael Azurin and Alvan Loreto each had an interception. Both led to touchdowns.

Paul’s recovery of a fumble by quarterback Archie Lappin at the Saxons’ four-yard line led to a two-yard touchdown run by Reed with 2 minutes 33 seconds left in the first quarter.

Loreto’s interception--after a big hit by defensive back John Hall on Loara’s Clint Collins--resulted in a two-yard scoring run by Vince Melendez for a 14-0 Servite lead with 10:20 left in the half.

Loara’s troubles didn’t end there. After it forced Servite (9-2) to punt, Loara’s Jeremiah Marchand-Simons was stripped of the ball, and Chris Bailey recovered at the Saxons’ 11. Four plays later, Cicero hit Michael Garko on a nine-yard scoring pass for a 21-0 Servite lead with 6:20 remaining in the half.

Though Loara managed to cut the gap to 21-7 on a 23-yard scramble by Lappin, the Friars turned up the heat in the second half, scoring 28 points.

Loara, which earned a playoff berth after Cypress was disqualified for using an ineligible player, finished the season 4-7.