The Valencia High Vikings began their Friday night matchup with West Ranch one win away from clinching at least a share of their eighth Foothill League title in a row.
When the final buzzer sounded at Valencia High School, the Vikings had defeated the Wildcats, 56-21, scoring eight touchdowns as if to mark the occasion.
It also marked 12th-year head coach Larry Muir’s 100th win.
“We still think of it as going 1-0 every week,” Muir said. “The kids did a good job of challenging themselves and that was the important thing.”
PHOTOS: Valencia earns share of Foothill League title versus West Ranch
Moises Haynes ran wild for Valencia (7-2 overall, 4-0 league), scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 27-yard gallop and finishing the night with 131 yards and three trips to the end zone.
Valencia quarterbacks Aaron Thomas and Connor Downs kept the offense balanced, throwing for four touchdowns between them, including a 44-yard touchdown from Thomas to Mykael Wright that broke a 7-7 tie in the first quarter.
Wildcats running back Jake Rice, who left the game in the third quarter due to injury, ran for 23 yards after gaining only 20 against Hart High.
His 77-yard catch and run in the second quarter, however, set up Wyatt Eget’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jovan Camacho that made the score 28-14.
Eget finished the night 21-of-31 for 263 yards and three touchdowns, the last of which went for 25-yards to Aiden Jackson to set the final score.
“Valencia is a very good team,” said Wildcats coach Chris Varner, whose squad fell to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in league. “I’m proud of my boys’ efforts. All we can do as a team is grow and focus on Golden Valley.”
West Ranch finishes the regular season against the Golden Valley Grizzlies next Friday at Valencia High School.
The Vikings can stand alone atop the Foothill standings and finish the season undefeated in league play if they defeat the Canyon Cowboys next Friday at Canyon High School.