Villa Park Gets 6 Interceptions in Easy Victory

Villa Park quickly turned a close game into the one-sided contest that it was expected to be with 28 points late in the second quarter.

The Spartans used the outburst to cruise to a 62-21 victory over Santa Ana Valley in a Century League game Thursday at Santa Ana Stadium.

It was the second most points Villa Park has scored in school history and the Spartans’ 12th consecutive league victory. The Spartans beat Orange, 69-16, last year.

Villa Park (9-0, 4-0), ranked ninth in Orange County, also clinched a playoff spot but the big prize--the league title--will be on the line next Friday in a showdown with Foothill.

Foothill (3-0 in league) takes on host El Modena (2-1 in league) tonight.

Villa Park got plenty of help from Santa Ana Valley (4-5, 1-3), which had eight turnovers, including six interceptions.

Two of the interceptions were by Villa Park’s Bryan Arguello, a senior wide receiver and defensive back who has seven interceptions this season.

Ricky Campos, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, also had an interception, as did Sean Cavanagh, Anthony Santa Cruz and Tom Stankan.

Arguello also caught two touchdown passes, including a 49-yarder where he jumped above two defenders to catch the ball at the 15, then raced to the end zone. He also kicked six extra points.

Arguello’s first touchdown reception was for 15 yards and came with 12 seconds left in the first half. The score capped a span of two minutes 44 seconds in which Villa Park scored four touchdowns to go ahead, 35-0.

The Spartans were helped by Santa Ana Valley, which had a fumble and an interception during Villa Park’s run.

“We just started to execute and everything fell into place,” Arguello said.

Quarterback John Henry Jackson also was impressive for the Spartans after a slow start.

His first four passes were incomplete, but he hit on nine of the next 11 for 187 yards and three touchdowns.

“The first quarter was kind of a battle,” Villa Park Coach Pat Mahoney said, “then we kind of exploded. But that’s what we practice for.”