PREP FOOTBALL : Orange League : Valencia’s Victory Is a Costly One : Free Safety Brett Gregory Injured in Romp Over Magnolia

Valencia High School continued to win big but lose a key player Thursday night in a 31-0 romp over Magnolia in front of 1,000 fans in Glover Stadium in Anaheim.

The Tigers amassed 326 yards rushing in their Orange League opener and have scored 186 points in six games. Valencia (4-1-1) is averaging 31 points a game but the victories have been costly.

Last week, running back Tony Goulet broke a leg and was lost for the season. This week, free safety Brett Gregory injured his left knee in the second quarter attempting to break up a pass and was taken to Placentia-Linda Hospital for X-rays and then went home.

Said Mike Marrujo, Valencia coach: “We can’t afford to keep losing a key player every week.”

Gregory leads the county with six interceptions.

The Tigers scored in every quarter and their defense intercepted two passes in the lopsided victory. Magnolia (2-3-1) had just 58 yards rushing and managed only one first down in the second half.

The Tigers ran wild in the first half, gaining 190 yards rushing behind an offensive line of tight end Mike Edwards, guards Brad Hall and Alan Harrison, tackles Don Winters and Shawn Racobs and center Fred Jenkins.

Dorian Estes, coming off a four-touchdown performance last week, scored twice in the half. The junior capped a 53-yard drive with a two-yard run for a touchdown in the first quarter and then scored on a 21-yard run with just 21 seconds left in the half for a 21-0 lead. Estes finished with 123 yards.

Sophomore Keef Leasure, filling in for Goulet, added another 123 yards rushing and quarterback Chris DeRisio made the most of eight pass attempts, completing four for 102 yards. DeRisio threw 32-yard and 54-yard touchdown passes to Richard Nelson to complete the Tigers’ scoring and show that Valencia isn’t a one-dimensional team.

“I’m very proud of the way the team pulled together this week after the injury to Tony,” Marrujo said. “We’re not real big, but we play hard every week.

“Leasure is only a sophomore and we envisioned him as our big back next year, but he’s going to have to carry the load with Tony gone.”