Fountain Valley Beats Mater Dei in a Game to Match Its Billing

It was a game that pitted Orange County’s top-ranked teams, No. 1-ranked Fountain Valley High School and No. 2-ranked Mater Dei, and two quarterbacks with promising futures.

Usually, opening games seldom meet expectations and quarterbacks often leave something to be desired trying to match preseason billing.

But an overflow crowd of 8,000 saw quarterback David Henigan of Fountain Valley pass for two touchdowns and run for one to lead the Barons to a 22-17 victory over Mater Dei Thursday night in Orange Coast College’s LeBard Stadium.

Henigan completed 13 of 19 passes for 154 yards and scored on a 37-yard keeper to overshadow an impressive debut by opposing junior quarterback Danny O’Neil.

O’Neil, a highly publicized transfer from Corona del Mar, overcame a sporadic first half in which completed only one pass to throw for 154 yards in the second half as Mater Dei overcame a 15-3 halftime deficit.

O’Neil completed 8 of 12 passes and rushed for 45 yards in the second half as the Monarchs unveiled an option attack that repeatedly confused Fountain Valley. O’Neil threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tony Pena and also scored on a 2-yard keeper after intermission, but each time the Monarchs threatened, Henigan answered with a big play.

“The fans who came out tonight were treated to a well-played football game,” said Mike Milner, Fountain Valley coach. “When you consider this was our first game, I thought we executed very well. We didn’t have a fumble, an interception or a holding penalty and that’s great tribute to our younger players.

“We’re further ahead than I anticipated. I was shocked with our performance because of the inexperience we have at so many positions.”

There was nothing shocking about Henigan’s play. Henigan, a left-hander, was starting his third season at quarterback and had led the Barons to the Big Five Conference championship game as a junior.

Henigan led Fountain Valley on scoring drives in two of their opening four possessions as the Barons opened a 15-0 lead early in the second quarter. Tailback Kedric Powe set up Fountain Valley’s first touchdown with a nifty 50-yard run late in the first quarter.

Powe’s long run moved Fountain Valley to Mater Dei’s six-yard line where Henigan threw a touchdown pass to Doug Weaver. Powe added a two-point conversion run for an 8-0 lead.

Defensive back Rick Mock set up Fountain Valley’s second touchdown when he blocked Ken Ammann’s punt. Henigan scored the touchdown on a 37-yard run with a fine block by center Glenn Christy.

Meanwhile, Mater Dei was struggling with only 50 total yards at halftime and O’Neil looked anything but sharp with only one completion in nine attempts for four yards. All that changed in the second half.

The Monarchs changed the complexion of the game by changing their offense as O’Neil displayed a fine ability to fake, pitch or run in the option attack. In the third quarter, he froze Fountain Valley’s front line with a fake to fullback Byron Quiros and tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Pena.

He made a gutty two-yard run on a fourth-down play for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and once again faked out Fountain Valley with a sleight-of-hand move that moved Mater Dei to within five points, 22-17, with 8:09 remaining.

Pena and Cook each had fine games. Pena caught 6 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown and Cook caught 7 passes for 132 yards and a score. Powe led all rushers with 93 yards in 22 carries.