SANTA ANA – Louis Aceves rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown to help Santa Ana Valley defeat Orange, 21-7, Thursday night in a nonleague game at Santa Ana Stadium.
The Falcons (3-2) rebounded from a blowout loss to Bellflower five days earlier. Santa Ana Valley used a tough running game and an opportunistic defense to succeed.
Orange turned the ball over four times, allowing the Falcons to keep the Panthers (1-4) off the scoreboard until the late stages of the fourth quarter. Robert Milanes had an interception and a fumble recovery for Santa Ana Valley, and Joseph Pham and Carlos Quiroz got into the Orange backfield with regularity to lead the defense.
Key Bedolla’s 1-yard rushing touchdown capped a six-play, 80-yard drive on the Falcons’ first possession of the game.
In the second quarter, Aceves found the end zone from 8 yards out to make it 14-0.
Santa Ana Valley’s biggest play of the second half came late in the third quarter. Daniel Chavez blocked a punt deep in Orange territory, setting up an Edgar Astorga’s 1-yard rushing touchdown to put the game away.
Orange struck late on a 14-yard run by Ty Cole. Daniel Lether and Danny Guerrero had fumble recoveries for the Panthers.
Santa Ana Valley opens Orange League against Anaheim.
Orange will face Ocean View in its Golden West League opener.
