Fountain Valley Defense Keeps Servite Bottled Up

It seemed like such a sure thing that Servite football Coach Larry Toner would have taken it in a second--give up only seven points to Fountain Valley and count yourself a winner.

Except. . . .

Sixth-ranked Fountain Valley shut down 10th-ranked Servite, took advantage of a 61-yard scoring pass and scored a 7-3 nonleague victory over the Friars in front of a homecoming crowd of about 4,000.

Fountain Valley’s passing game had been efficiently prolific. Ryan Breska had completed 18 of only 31 passes in three games but had thrown seven touchdown passes, and he was averaging 27 yards per completion.

So Servite’s Toner admitted the pressure was on his defensive line to stop Fountain Valley’s run, while at the same time pressuring Breska.

And the Friars did it, sacking him three times.

It just didn’t matter.

“Fountain Valley played great defense,” Toner said. “They did what we did--shut them down.

“You’re never sure you can contain guys like [Breska and Aaron Carter]. We were lucky enough to do it.”

Carter, who caught 13 passes while averaging 33 yards per reception, didn’t catch a ball that counted. He had two receptions for 72 yards--one an apparent 66-yard touchdown that was nullified by penalties.

But two plays after Carter’s long bomb was called back, Breska overthrew the secondary into the waiting arms of Scott Schutze, who caught the ball in stride and completed a 61-yard scoring strike. Carter, who has caught seven touchdown passes, kicked the extra point for a 7-3 lead with 2 minutes 3 seconds left in the half.

“They double-teamed [Carter],” Breska said of the scoring pass. “Scott’s a great receiver and I haven’t been able to get the ball to him much. He made a great catch and run.”

Said Toner: “We thought maybe they had three or four really good receivers, but [Breska] hadn’t found them. Tonight, he found them.”

Schutze was the seventh receiver to catch a pass for the Barons. Breska finished 12 of 30 for 171 yards.

Fountain Valley outgained Servite, 177-139 (87 rushing).

Though Servite’s defense kept the ball from Carter, he did have two fourth-quarter interceptions, at the Fountain Valley 31 and the final drive at the Servite 19.

Servite got possession four times in Fountain Valley territory but had only a 30-yard field goal from Scott Lambert to show for it.