Western takes care of Santa Ana Valley

November 13, 2008 3:00 AM

By JIMMY LIANG

Special To OCVarsity.com

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The Falcons still reach the playoffs when they get some help.

ANAHEIM- Western won on the field Thursday night, but Santa Ana Valley was victorious off it. As a result, both squads are headed for the postseason.

Ruben Ortega scored three touchdowns as Western clinched the Orange League championship with a 42-21 victory over visiting Valley. (Full game stats.)

The victory gave Western (8-2, 5-0) at least a share of the league crown for the seventh consecutive season. Valley (6-4) could have clinched an automatic playoff berth with a victory but dropped to 3-2 in league play. By virtue of Magnolia's 28-17 victory over Anaheim, however, both the Falcons and Sentinels make the postseason, thus avoiding a scenario whereby a coin flip would decide each team’s postseason fate.

Western jumped to a 14-0 lead behind Ortega touchdown runs of 1 and 22 yards. The first score was set up by a Peter Foo Chong 34-yard interception return, while the latter capped off an eight play, 57-yard drive.

Valley cut the lead in half when Joe Garcia made a diving 19-yard reception in the end zone. Carlos Acevedocompleted all six of his passes on the 13 play drive, five to Garcia for 64 yards. Garcia finished with nine catches for 119 yards.

Western answered as quarterback Derek Orman found a wide open Phil Pedro for a 21-yard touchdown off a fake field goal with 15 seconds left in the half.

Ortega, who rushed for 94 yards, also scored on a 4-yard run. Mookie Cooksie led the Pioneers with 129 yards rushing, including a 33-yard touchdown.

Held to 27 yards rushing through three quarters, Darius Nacoste scored on runs on of 3 and 23 yards in the final quarter. Acevedo passed for 175 yards but was picked off four times by the Pioneers, twice by Foo Chong.