Valencia runs wild

MISSION VIEJO - Eric Cox ran for three touchdowns and Rikee Collins rushed for 167 yards as Valencia defeated Capistrano Valley, 28-9, in a nonleague game Friday night at Capistrano Valley High.
Marcus Beckman threw two touchdown passes as the Tigers improved to 3-1-1. They played without starting running back Wes Fletcher, who sat out the game because of a twisted ankle suffered last week.
“I thought the whole team stepped up and played really well,” Valencia coach Mike Marrujo said. “The best game we’ve played so far this year.”
Collins ran for 126 yards in the second half. His 38-yarder on Valencia’s opening drive of the second half helped set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Cox to give Valencia a 21-3 lead.
The Cougars (3-1) came back with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Parker Finley to Austin Messick, but their next two possessions ended in an incomplete pass and an interception of a tipped ball by defensive lineman Zach Johnson.
Collins broke off a 27-yard run and Beckman completed a 27-yard pass to Julius Macharia on third-and-9 to set up Cox’s 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Fletcher, last year’s Empire League offensive player of the year, is week-to-week, Marrujo said. Valencia has a bye next week.

Contact the writer: czupke@ocregister.com