Fountain Valley improves to 3-0 with 35-20 victory over Woodbridge

Fountain Valley’s Mathew Fuiava picks up yards for the Barons Friday night.

Fountain Valley’s football team continued its fast start, putting on an impressive offensive performance and defeating Woodbridge 35-20 in a nonleague game Friday night at University.

Fountain Valley (3-0) was led by running back Mathew Fuiava who rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Josh Stupin was also impressive passing for 263 yards and three touchdowns.

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“We got most of our skills (players) back although we lost our best player and our other best player,” said Fountain Valley Coach Jimmy Nolan. “Our quarterback and our running back were basically our team last year so even though we’re good, on any given night we can beat Woodbridge, who I think is awesome.”

But Nolan said his team can also lose to other teams that aren’t as talented.

“We do everything we can to lose a game,” Nolan said. “So I don’t think I’m going to make it to 50. It’s a heart attack every second. I think I’m in the wrong profession.”

The Barons suffered some big losses on offense early in the game on fumbled snaps, but they were able to get un-tracked, mainly behind Fuiava.

“He’s like the bricks of our house right now,” Nolan said. “He was a third string back a couple months ago but he just kept working hard. He played JV last year. I take my hat off to that kid. If we’re going to be good this year, it has to be the unexpected guy. He’s carrying us.”

Brandon Krause also had a big game, hauling in 11 catches for 148 yards and a TD.

Woodbridge (1-2) was led by quarterback Kyle Hurry who passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

“We didn’t have a very good week of practice,” said Woodbridge Coach Rick Gibson. “I’m really disappointed in that. Like I told the kids at the end, I think we got what we deserved because a couple times we had 10 men on defense.

“Our defense had played so well up to this game. We changed some personnel but we didn’t do a good enough job of getting them in and out and that’s because of the practice.

“Fountain Valley is a good squad. We knew they were a lot to handle, and they were. In the second half, I thought we played better offensively. I thought we moved the ball.”

Woodbridge took a 3-0 lead on a 23-yard field goal by Jakob Trestik in the first quarter (his first of two in the game). But Fountain Valley went into halftime with a 14-6 lead. Stupin connected with Noah Karliner on a 6-yard TD pass with 4:05 left in the second quarter.

Fuiava’s 5-yard TD run in the third quarter put the Barons ahead 21-6.

But Hurry connected with Jacob Nash on a 3-yard TD pass with 8:56 left in the game to cut the lead to 21-13.

However, Stupin hooked up with Brandon Krause on a 16-yard TD pass to make it 28-13.

Woodbridge kept battling, closing the lead to 28-20 on a 16-yard TD pass from Hurry to Nash.

But Fountain Valley sealed the win when Stupin hit Kishaun Sykes on a 51-yard TD pass to make it 35-20 with 3:29 left.