Isaac Larriva of Santa Ana makes an interception Friday vs. Saddleback as Vincent Resendez, the intended receiver, makes the stop. (Photos: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
Santa Ana High scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to break open a scoreless game and rolled to a 42-0 victory over Saddleback in an Orange Coast League game Friday night before the Saints homecoming crowd at the Santa Ana Bowl.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
Santa Ana has won three consecutive games and improved its overall record to 5-3 and league mark to 3-0. The Saints remained in a tie for the top spot in league with Orange and will play the Panthers in two weeks.
Saddleback dropped its seventh straight and fell to 1-7 and 0-3.
Saints quarterback Aldo Leyva rushed for two touchdowns and threw a TD pass to spark the Santa Ana attack.
After the Saints committed two turnovers in the opening quarter, Santa Ana’s offense took advantage of excellent field position and quickly shifted into high gear. The Saints began six drives in Saddleback’s territory in the first half.
On their first possession of the second quarter, following a short Roadrunners punt, Santa Ana marched 32 yards in seven plays to get on the scoreboard. Leyva raced into the end zone from seven yards for a touchdown as Santa Ana took a 7-0 lead. The key play on the drive was a Saddleback offsides penalty on fourth down, giving the Saints a first and goal at the Roadrunners 8-yard line. Two plays, Leyva scored.
Moments later, Santa Ana capped a five-play drive that ended with Leyva scoring his second TD of the game, this time on a three-yard touchdown run, upping the Saints lead to 14-0 with 4:25 to play in the half.
“Our O-line was awesome and we keep improving each week,” said Leyva. “We were a little too anxious and nervous in the first quarter but we calmed down and fixed mental mistakes.”
Santa Ana pushed on and added two more touchdowns in the final minutes of the half.
Jason Costa scored on an 11-yard TD run and Leyva tossed a 28-yard TD pass to Isaac Larriva, who made an excellent grab in the corner of the end zone to propel the Saints to a 28-0 halftime lead.
“We executed and we’re clicking,” said Larriva, who also had an interception. “I wish we were playing like this at the beginning of the season but we’re clicking at the right time now.”
Saints coach Charlie TeGantvoort was pleased with his team’s performance, despite some early setbacks.
“This is a rival game and it’s good to see Santa Ana kids playing hard against each other,” said TeGantvoort. “We settled down and played better after the first quarter. We still have to correct some things, but I have to say our OLine and our DLine played a tough game.”
The Santa Ana defense, led by defensive lineman Jesus Martinez, linebacker Alejandro Mora and defensive back Andrew Burgoa limited the Roadrunners to under 50 yards of offense in the first half and forced a turnover.
“Our defense got into our gaps and fixed early mistakes,” Martinez said. “Our D-line, our linebackers and our defensive backs are really helping each other out.”
Costa rushed for 101 yards on 12 carries and scored a TD and Levya completed six passes for 111 yards and TD to lead the Saints.
“We did what we had to do and executed our game plan,” Costa said. “Give props to the O-LIne, it feels great to win three in a row and our team is really coming together.”
After winning its opening game of the season, the Roadrunners have dropped six consecutive games but coach Nickolas Diulio remained extremely upbeat about the team’s progress.
“I give these kids all of the credit in the world; they keep playing hard and they play up to the challenge week in and week out,” said Diulio. “We forced three turnovers and we stopped them on a fourth down play, so that’s like another turnover.
“We’re young and they are gaining valuable experience and the wide-eyed reality of playing varsity football is starting to fade and we are taking positive steps in our program.
“Tip your cap to Charlie and his team, they’re a good football team and they (and Orange) will be playing late into November.”
Daniel Avalos (12 yards) and Adrian Avila (10 yards)had TD runs in the second half to complete Santa Ana’s scoring.
STATS
RUSHING: S: Marin 2-10, Padron 4-11; SA: Costa 12-101, Avila 8-47.
PASSING: S: Soto, 2-9-1, 14 yards, Gonzalez 1-3-0, 11 yards; SA: Leyva 6-10-0, 111 yards, TD.
RECEVING: S: Ramirez 2-15, Bonilla 1-10; SA: Larriva 2-52, Garcia 1-27.
-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
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