Estancia shut out, 34-0

Steve Virgen

If the scoreboard didn’t send a message to the Estancia High

football team, Eagles’ Coach Jay Noonan sure did. After Estancia lost

its home opener, 34-0, to nonleague foe Katella at Orange Coast

College, Noonan delivered a message that stressed achieving goals

with a short-term memory, as in forget about Friday night.

“Next week, reality starts,” Noonan told his players, in reference

to the Eagles beginning their Golden West League schedule next week.

When asked if he wanted his players to feel anger or pain after a

shutout loss at home, Noonan talked of the hopes in the near future.

“I don’t want them to feel anything at all,” Noonan said. “Just

like with winning: you celebrate that one night and you come back the

next morning and get to work. With losing, you also get rid of that

feeling that night. We have to get ready for next week. We have to

cut down on our mistakes. We have goals. We want to win four league

games, and make sure we beat Costa Mesa.”

Noonan, who worked as a defensive coordinator at Katella three

years ago, is also challenged with rejuvenating an offense that has

scored just seven points in two games. The Eagles (1-2) gained only 23 rushing yards against the Knights, who featured senior running

back Mike Vega. Vega rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns on 17

carries.

“That’s a typical Dominik Unger team,” Noonan said. “We have to

take this as a learning lesson and get ready for next week.”

Unger’s squad, which is 3-0, grabbed control of the game from the

outset, scoring on an eight-play, 56-yard drive in the first four

minutes. After Vega returned a kickoff to his team’s 44-yard line, he

helped the Knights march down for the score. He capped the drive with

a 1-yard run up the gut.

Estancia senior Lewis Bradshaw, who plays quarterback and

receiver, injured his shoulder on the Knights’ first offensive play.

He was out the rest of the game. Noonan said, Bradshaw might miss

next week’s Golden West League opener against Westminster, Saturday

at 7 p.m. at Newport Harbor.

In Bradshaw’s place, junior Brad Young started at quarterback.

Noonan did not expect Young to play against Katella.

“Brad suffered a mild concussion last week,” Noonan said. “He

didn’t take any reps during practice this week. We didn’t think he

would be ready to go. But, all things considered, Brad did a stellar

job (Friday night).”

Young threw for 60 yards on 9-of-22 passing, and avoided three

sacks with improvisation skills. His longest completion of the night

went for 19 yards to Javy Ramirez, who went up in front of his

defender to make the grab at Estancia’s 45. The Knights intercepted

the Eagles’ next pass and put away the game by converting the

turnover into points late in the third quarter. Estancia committed

four turnovers, and the Eagles were also flagged 11 times, compiling

110 yards in penalties.

“I’m glad we scheduled a team like Katella,” Noonan said. “This

was the best thing for us. They are a well-coached team.”

Estancia’s most viable scoring threat came with six minutes left

in the first half. Louis Valdes Jr. intercepted a Tony Savala pass

and returned it 22 yards to the Katella 48. Three plays later, Young

avoided a strong pass rush and ran along the sideline for an 8-yard

gain. He was hit out of bounds and the Knights were called for a

personal foul penalty. But the Eagles could not move the ball past

Katella’s 26. After a 4-yard sack and a holding penalty, Estancia

gave up the ball on downs at Katella’s 43. The Knights came back and

went on a 57-yard drive in five plays to go up, 21-0.