November 5, 2024

OC Sports Zone: Community First

PHOTOS: Irvine captures outright league title with decisive victory over University

Irvine’s Deacon Moss has a big punt return Friday night against University. (Photos courtesy Jim Tomlin, For OC Sports Zone).

Irvine High School’s football team topped University 42-7 Friday night at Irvine Stadium to win the Pacific Hills league title on senior night and homecoming.

Irvine (7-3, 3-0) had already clinched a share of the league title with a win over Beckman last week.

Coach Tom Ricci’s Irvine team leveraged a two-man wrecking crew to account for 34 of its 42 points.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

Junior running back Brandon Figueroa scored three first half touchdowns on runs of 7, 32 and 30 yards.  Versatile junior Deacon Moss scored on a 55-yard punt return and a 16-yard pass reception and kicked four extra points. 

Sophomore quarterback Sina Saferzadeh ran for a two-point conversion and threw a pair of touchdown passes, the second one on a 48-yarder to senior Chase Russom.  Moss had 101 all-purpose yards.

University’s only score came on a second quarter 5-yard pass from senior Blaine Anderson to senior Brooks Beckmann. Senior Jonathan Soto had 144 all-purpose yards for University.

The Trojans (4-6 overall, 1-2 in league) are hoping for an at-large berth in the CIF playoffs. Teams that have .500 overall records get first priority in filling out CIF playoff brackets.

—Courtesy Daryl Bogard, For OC Sports Zone