Irvine’s Win Is a Short Story : Football: Transfer from Calvary Chapel rushes for 139 yards and makes game-saving play in 17-7 victory over University.

It’s easy to see what the fuss was about.

Keith Short, who left tiny Calvary Chapel to enroll at Irvine and play football for the Vaqueros, showed he can make an impact on any level.

Short rushed for two touchdowns and made at least three touchdown-saving tackles as No. 7 Irvine defeated University, 17-7, in front of 3,000 in the season opener Thursday night.

“He’s excellent, a true leader, a great athlete,” said Irvine receiver James Whitted after Short showed how he won the Division XI Olympic League’s defensive most valuable player award. “Without that run, I don’t know where we’d be.”

“That run” was Short’s 41-yard carry with 4 minutes 48 seconds left in the game. Short rushed for 85 yards on an eight-play scoring drive that covered 90 yards.

But that simply iced the contest. Short (14 carries, 139 yards), who had a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to go with Jessob Reisbeck’s 21-yard field goal, really won the game when he forced receiver Darren Willard’s fumble on a 19-yard completion earlier in the fourth quarter. Jeff Patty recovered at the 11-yard line, and the Vaqueros were breathing a sigh of relief.

“If we don’t give up the big play at the end of the game, it’s 10-7,” University Coach Mark Cunningham said. “If we don’t fumble down by the goal line. . . . “

Then it would have been a whole different ballgame. University, which has 14 returning starters (compared to three for Irvine), showed its composure after falling behind in the first half, 10-0.

After Colin Cavannaugh’s 25-yard gain, Pat Josten (10 of 15 passing, 85 yards) passed six yards to Jacque Newsome to complete a 57-yard drive and cut the deficit to 10-7.

The Trojans didn’t seem to be finished, either. They followed with a drive from their 28 to the Irvine 11, but as they readied to take the lead, Cavannaugh fumbled a handoff and Josten was penalized for intentional grounding. Then, Josten connected with Willard on the play that was going to get most of the yardage back.

Instead, Short smacked Willard after the catch, the ball came loose, and Irvine had the play of the game.