Estancia football

Richard Dunn

ORANGE - If Estancia High’s football team needed a punching bag to

release some frustration Friday night, the host Orange Panthers provided

a cushy underbelly for plenty of licks and blows.

Following back-to-back losses, including a controversial setback

against Santa Ana Valley, the Eagles bullied Orange in the final

nonleague game of the season with a 43-0 victory at El Modena High.

“The kids had a tough loss last week (35-28), but we had a great week

of practice, and you play the way you practice,” said Estancia Coach Dave

Perkins, whose squad (3-2) will open Pacific Coast League play Thursday

against Northwood.

For the Eagles, it was their first shutout since the 1999 season

opener, when they blanked Magnolia, 35-0.

For the Panthers (0-5), apparently on their way to another dismal

campaign, it was their 27th loss in the last 28 contests.

“It was a nice win going into league, and we did it without our best

player (senior tailback Andy Romo, whose leg injury limited him to only

four first-half carries),” Perkins said.

By halftime, Romo, fullback Fahad Jahid, quarterback Kenny Valbuena

and running back Freddy Rodriguez each had at least 22 yards rushing, but

no more than 29.

“We had some good balance, running and passing,” Perkins said. “And

our quarterback did a good job throwing (the Panthers’ defense) out of

it, because they were geared to stop the run. We spread it out a little

and broke them down.”

Estancia, which scored in every quarter, gained 248 yards rushing on

38 carries, while Valbuena completed half of his dozen throws for 123

yards and no interceptions. Valbuena’s 65-yard touchdown strike to Kyle

Casillas was the biggest play.

“We’re trying to get more balance,” said Perkins, whose team also

benefited from five Orange turnovers.

Leading the ground game was Jahid (81 yards and two touchdowns on 17

carries), while Rodriguez, Jeremy Valdes, Richie Berame and David

Rodriguez all shared the spotlight in the backfield with double-digit

gains.

“Maybe it’s a good thing that Romo got hurt,” Perkins said. “It

allowed others to play.”

Romo’s injury, an upper thigh bruise, is not expected to hold him out

of the PCL opener against Northwood.

Early on, it appeared Orange was knocking on an upset door as Terry

Franklin recovered an Eagle fumble on the game’s series. But the

Panthers’ offense sputtered and a sack by Estancia outside linebacker

Matt Colby on third down forced Orange to punt.

On Estancia’s second drive, the Eagles moved from the Orange 31 to

paydirt in six plays, capped by Valbuena’s 1-yard sneak. Romo provided a

two-point conversion on a run and the Eagles enjoyed an 8-0 edge with

4:18 left in the first quarter.

But that was only the beginning of Estancia’s fireworks display.

On the Eagles’ next possession, which continued into the second

quarter, they scored again, this time on Jahid’s 6-yard run. In the

eight-play drive, Estancia recorded a first down on its first four plays

to march to the Panthers’ 17-yard line.

Later in the second quarter, Estancia stopped Orange twice when Ivan

Garcia recovered a Panther fumble and David Stoddard intercepted his

first of two passes. But Estancia failed to convert on either possession.

Late in the first half, Stoddard returned his second pick 35 yards for

an Eagle touchdown with 0:50 left, and Javier Ramirez kicked his second

of five PATs.

Orange quarterback Justin Trejo threw a ball in heavy traffic and it

bounced off an Estancia defender before landing cleanly in Stoddard’s

arms.

Estancia’s 22-0 halftime advantage over Orange meant the Panthers have

been outscored, 119-7, in the first half this season.

Midway through the third quarter, Valbuena connected with Casillas,

who was wide open on the left side in front of the Estancia sideline and

sprinted about 40 yards to the end zone, scoring untouched largely

because of Valdes’ block on Ray Rogalski, perhaps Orange’s best player.