IRVINE – Irvine knew its season was on the line Friday night and the Vaqueros responded with one of their best performances.
Josh Gray had 122 yards rushing, 80 yards receiving and scored three touchdowns, and Irvine’s defense produced four turnovers in a 35-17 Pacific Coast League victory over Beckman at Irvine High.
The Vaqueros (5-2, 1-2) earned their first league victory of the season, and it started on defense with Clinton Rahimi recovering a Beckman fumble on the game’s opening drive, deep in Irvine territory.
Three plays later, Mikey Filia found a streaking Gray down the right sideline for a 71-yard touchdown pass.
Gray scored on a 27-yard run to put Irvine ahead, 14-0, with 5:20 left in the opening half.
Three players later, Noah Miller intercepted a Beckman pass and returned it 37 yards for a score.
The Patriots (4-4, 1-2) pulled within 21-10 in the third quarter, but Gray helped put the game away for Irvine.
Gray’s 70-yard run set up a 1-yard rushing touchdown run by Wesley Kim for a 28-10 lead with 1:59 left in the third quarter.
Filia, who passed for 154 yards and rushed for 82, also contributed on defense. He tipped and intercepted a pass in the end zone on Beckman’s next possession early in the fourth quarter.
Beckman cut the lead to 28-17 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Adrian Morrow.
