The Valencia football team turned Friday night’s regular-season finale into a de facto ceremony for the Vikings’ 14th Foothill League title.
Running out to a 35-0 halftime lead, Valencia (6-4, 6-0) brushed aside the visiting West Ranch Wildcats (4-6, 2-4) at Valencia High’s Dr. Paul A. Priesz Stadium by that same scoreline to secure a second consecutive outright league title.
“Our goal every year is to win league,” said Vikings senior Nick Seymour, who celebrated his 18th birthday and senior night on Friday, as the Valencia student section stormed the field following the win. “We kind of took the foot off the pedal last game, but we really stepped it up this game.”
Valencia gave up 33 points in last week’s win over Castaic but put things right with a shutout heading into the playoffs.
Seymour celebrated his birthday in style, recording an 88-yard touchdown, an interception and a blocked field goal. The Vikings had three picks in the first half as they held the West Ranch offense to just 8 yards and no first downs.
Seymour racked up 181 receiving yards in the first half as he and junior quarterback Brady Bretthauer connected four times. Bretthauer had 301 passing yards in the first half and three touchdowns, also hitting junior Logan Thompson and senior Isaac Shin.
Junior Brian Bonner added a couple of first-half rushing touchdowns for the Vikings. He finished with over 150 rushing yards and 85 receiving yards. On the season, he has over 1,300 rushing yards.
Junior Symeon Wilkins and senior Ronald Bruner had the other two first-half interceptions for Valencia.
Bretthauer said the confidence on the team is high and everyone is looking to contribute.
“No matter who’s getting the ball, no matter where the play is called, we know that someone’s going to make a play, and it’s just all about trusting each other,” he said.
Bretthauer finished with over 350 passing yards. His only blemish on the night was an interception from West Ranch junior Aidan Lynch in the fourth quarter.
As per usual, Bretthauer spent a good chunk of time moving around to escape pressure before finding one of his receivers down field.
“He plays the game at a high, high, high level,” said Valencia head coach Larry Muir. “And people don’t understand that. He plays at an unbelievable level, just in terms of his execution and his decision-making and what he reads and how he adjusts. It’s amazing.”
Seymour had an even 200 receiving yards to cross the 1,000-yard milestone on the year.
“He got that,” Bretthauer said, referring to Seymour’s 88-yard touchdown, “and I knew it was going to be a good night for him. That got us going.”
West Ranch nearly broke its drought in the second half, but a field goal was missed and another was blocked. Wildcats head coach Chris Varner said he was proud of his team for competing until the end in what could be the final game of the year for his squad.
“That’s a good team that came out, well-oiled and executed,” Varner said. “But I was happy for my guys rallying in the second half, doing a good job, keeping them out of the end zone.”
West Ranch star running back Luke DePerno exited early Friday after attempting to come back following a right shoulder injury he picked up last week. Senior Kyler Garrity also came out early with an apparent right knee injury.
Valencia now awaits Sunday’s release of the CIF Southern Section playoff brackets to find out where and when the Vikings will be playing in the first round of the playoffs, as well as which division they will be in and who they are playing.
The brackets are set to be released at 10 a.m.
Bretthauer said the goal is to bring a second CIF title back to Valencia, despite starting with four losses in non-league play.
“Our eyes have been on that prize since starting 0-4, you know, not knowing where we would place,” Bretthauer said. “But it all doesn’t matter if you win CIF, go on to state. We definitely have a lot of momentum going to playoffs.”
West Ranch has an outside shot at making the playoffs after a four-win season.
