PHOTOS: Big second half pushes Irvine past crosstown rival Northwood in opener

Irvine quarterback Sina Saferzadeh  breaks loose in the early stages of the second quarter on his way to the end zone against Northwood. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone.

City rivals Northwood and Irvine High Schools kicked off the 2025 football campaign with a non-league game Friday night at Irvine Stadium and the Vaqueros large home crowd was treated to a thrilling victory.

Vaqueros senior quarterback Sina Saferzadeh tossed three touchdown passes and ran for a TD as Irvine scored three second-half touchdowns to break open a close game and win going away 34-14.   

“It’s an amazing win; there were a lot of nerves coming into tonight’s game, but we were tough, physical, and gritty,” said Saferzadeh, who rushed for 108 yards and passed for 137 yards. “Now, we have to carry it forward.”

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Leading 12-7 at halftime, the Vaqueros took the second-half kickoff and marched 74 yards in 11 plays, taking nearly eight minutes off the clock, to up its lead to 18-7. Saferzadeh and running back Seamus Hoffman combined to handle the ball on all 11 plays and the drive was capped off by Saferzadeh’s 3-yard TD pass to Cole Riedel.

But the Timberwolves fired back as Jack Schultz returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, cutting Irvine’s lead to 18-14.

Saferzadeh then guided Irvine on a seven-play, 64-yard drive that was capped off by a 34-yard touchdown pass to Hoffman as the Vaqueros increased their lead to 26-14 with 1:22 left in the third quarter.

Hoffman rushed for 80 yards and added a 3-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. Irvine’s defense then shut down the Timberwolves the rest of the way to cruise to the victory. Hoffman also caught three passes.

“It was still a close game after we returned the kickoff for a touchdown but then their tackles and guards took over the inside game and we struggled,” said Northwood Coach Erik Terry, who coached at Irvine for 18 years, including nine years as head coach (2010-2018). “We’re going to use the preseason to clean up some things. It’s a growth process.”

Riedel and Enzo Cahoon combined to catch seven passes for 76 yards for Irvine, including Riedel catching two TD passes. Northwood’s quarterback Dylan D’epifanio, a Crean Lutheran transfer, completed 12 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown pass. Isaac Kwon caught seven passes for the Timberwolves.  

“The lineman came to me and said, ‘run the ball, we got this,’” said Vaqueros Coach Tom Ricci. “I have a lot of confidence in them and so we ran the ball. The team really wanted this game. They’ve been busting their tales.”

After a scoreless opening quarter, Irvine broke on top early in the second quarter as the Vaqueros marched 66 yards in nine plays for a touchdown. Saferzadeh followed junior right tackle, Kota Seshimo, over the right side for a 33-yard TD run. The PAT was blocked and Irvine led 6-0 with 10:28 remaining in the quarter.

After Northwood’s offense sputtered on their first three possessions, D’epifanio led a quick three-play, 71-yard scoring drive to give the Timberwolves a 7-6 lead. D’epifanio tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Schultz to cap the drive, giving Northwood the lead with 3:28 left in the half.

Irvine countered with an 8-play, 61-yard scoring drive to retake the lead. The touchdown was set up by a 41-yard pass play from Saferzadeh to Cahoon. Three plays later, Saferzadeh tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Riedel, giving Irvine a 12-7 lead at the break.

NOTES:

—-After serving as the Northwood AD last season, Terry took over as the Timberwolves head coach this season. Prior to coming to Northwood, Terry served as a high school football coach at Mission College Prep in San Luis Obispo for five years. Terry also coached at Irvine for 18 years; he served as head coach from 2010-18. “I had the privilege of coaching under the guidance of Terry Henigan, he said.  

—-Northwood assistant coach JC Clarke begins his 51^st year this season as a football coach. Clarke’s first season was 1975. He’s now defensive coordinator.

—Irvine’s Ricci is in his seventh season as the Vaqueros head coach.