Valencia Wins Respect, but Victory Goes to Littlerock

Everyone has enjoyed a good chuckle watching Valencia High climb up the Southern Section Division II football poll, from No. 10 to No. 3 this week.

Nobody expected that to continue, and it didn’t.

After a 30-28 nonleague loss to Littlerock at Canyon High on Friday night, nobody has to worry about Valencia, a second-year varsity team, ascending to No. 1.

But after blowing a 20-6 halftime lead, the Vikings were showered with praise. Who would have thought?

“Valencia was tougher than nails,” Littlerock Coach Jim Bauer said. “They earned our respect.”

“Our kids are tough and it’s time they get some credit,” Valencia Coach Brian Stiman said. “As a person who loves these kids, I feel for them. I bleed for them.

“And if Caleb holds on, we win.”

But Viking receiver Caleb Smith couldn’t hold a 50-yard bomb from quarterback Kenny Taylor with 1 minute 8 seconds left.

He had the ball momentarily but it popped out of his hands when he hit the ground at the Lobo five-yard line.

Littlerock (5-1) then hung on to beat Valencia (4-1).

But that didn’t seem likely after Valencia running back Donavan Calhoun rushed for 166 yards and scored three touchdowns in the first half for a 20-6 lead.

But Littlerock scored 18 unanswered points in the third quarter. Calhoun watched from the sideline while Michael Woods (35 carries, 196 yards, two touchdowns) and David Newton took over (10-108, two touchdowns).

Newton opened with a 33-yard scoring run to cut Valencia’s lead to 20-14.

Three plays later, Jimmy Combs tackled Duane Miller in the end zone for a safety as Valencia tried a reverse from its own seven.

“We made way too many mistakes, too many penalties,” said Calhoun, who finished with 187 yards in 21 carries. “The first drive of the second half . . . three mistakes.”

Taylor, who completed 13 of 25 passes for 235 yards and two scores, threw interceptions on the next two drives.

The second resulted in an eight-yard touchdown run by Woods, and suddenly Littlerock was leading, 24-20, after a successful two-point conversion.

Valencia then failed to get a first down on a fake punt, and Littlerock marched 52 yards in 11 plays, with Newton bursting 19 yards up the middle for another score to the Lobos ahead, 30-20.

Littlerock, which held Calhoun to 21 yards in the second half, appeared to have the game won when Valencia scored 33 seconds later on a 10-yard pass from Taylor to Mike Swanson.

Nick Carey threw to Calhoun for two points to make it 30-28.

With 2:15 left, Valencia got the ball at its own 19 after a Carey interception and moved to the Littlerock 45.

On fourth and 12, Taylor heaved his desperation pass to Willis.