Sports

Sports Shorts: Small Schools Put Up Big Numbers

Capistrano Valley Christian scores 67 points and loses Friday night, while Saddleback Valley Christian's Curran John rushes for 311 yards in victory.

The offensive statistics amassed in eight-man football games can sometimes be downright amazing. Such is the case when looking at the score by quarters of Capistrano Valley Christian's nonleague game against Escondido Classical Academy Friday at San Clemente High.

The score by quarters:

            1     2     3     4      Total
ECA     10   16   28   28  --  82
CVCS    7     7    21   32  --  67

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What do you mean you score 67 points and lose the game?

Well, that's life in the eight-man game.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But there were some positives for CVCS. The Eagles (1-1) were led by a couple of freshmen, AJ Discenzo and Riley Babick, who played beyond their years.

Excelling on both sides of the ball -- he never left the playing field -- Discenzo had 15 catches for 164 yards, one touchdown and three two-point conversions. He carried the ball nine times for 53 yards and one two-point conversion. And he threw two passes, completing both, for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Dan Dodd, in his first season as Eagles coach, said it was the “best performance I have ever seen out of a frosh at any level of football.”

Babick didn’t do too badly either. The young quarterback completed 24 of 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns, though he did have three passes intercepted. He also rushed for three touchdowns. All in all, Babick has accounted for 12 touchdowns in CVCS’ first two games.

The closest the Eagles came to Escondido Classical in the second half was late in the game, when they pulled with nine points.

CVCS plays at Pacific Lutheran in Torrance on Friday at 6 p.m.

Curran John Carries Warriors to Victory

In an 11-man nonleague football game Friday night, Saddleback Valley Christian defeated host California Military Institute, 40-18, in Perris.

The Warriors (2-0) were led by senior running back Curran John, who rushed for 311 yards in 37 carries behind a very large, but also very young offensive line. In all, SVCS accumulated 610 yards of total offense -- 4-7 rushing, 203 passing -- in 72 plays.

First-year coach Justin Reber’s team has a bye this week but takes on Brethren Christian on Sept. 23 at JSerra High.

Laguna Hills Cross-Country Invitational

Patch couldn't get to Laguna Hills High on Saturday for the area's first cross-country meet of the season, and didn't feel like typing in all of the results, so go ahead and click on this ESPNHS/DyeStat link to see them.

(Aside: I once asked a librarian friend of mine if people expected her to have all the answers. She said no, but added that she knew where to find them.)

What's next? The 31st annual Cross-Country Classic, co-hosted by Woodbridge, Estancia and Costa Mesa highs, begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday at Estancia High in Costa Mesa.

Have some high school news or a score that you'd like to share? Send it to O.C. Patch sports editor Bob Rohwer at bob.rohwer@patch.com.


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