SANTA ANA—The Orange League race is far from over and Santa Ana Valley needed a win Saturday night to stay in the mix.
The Falcons started fast, took a breather in the second quarter but then exploded for 27 second-half points as they took down Century, 40-13, at Segerstrom High.
Cesar Ibarra was the workhorse for Santa Ana Valley (5-3, 2-1), carrying the ball 32 times for 196 yards and a touchdown. Louis Aceves saved some of his best work for the goal line, totaling 93 yards on 17 carries and scoring three touchdowns.
Ibarra carried the ball on seven of the first eight plays for the Falcons but it was Aceves who barreled into the end zone from 2 yards out to cap the opening drive of the game.
Santa Ana Valley forced its second straight three-and-out and the offene capitalized again, as Aceves again scored on a short run to push the lead to 13-0 with 2:10 left in the opening quarter.
Century’s defense then came up with a big play as Santa Ana Valley quarterback Edgar Astorga threw a pass under heavy pressure and it was intercepted by defensive lineman Mike Soria, who returned it to the Falcons’ 29-yard line.
The Centurions (1-7, 0-3) then found their way into the end zone as Jesse Carrasco scored on a 2-yard run and Century went to the locker room trailing 13-7.
The Falcons tightened things up in the second half and benefited from a muffed punt recovered by Juan Diaz near midfield. Diaz then made a nice 36-yard catch along the sideline to put the ball at the Century 15 and Ibarra scored two players later to extend the lead to 20-7 and the Falcons weren’t threatened again.
