IRVINE — The Irvine football team put together well-executed, sustained drives, had four takeaways and mixed in some individual heroics in a 28-14 victory over Kennedy in the final nonleague game of the season for both teams Friday at Irvine High School.
Both teams will have byes next week and then the Vaqueros (3-2) open play in the Iota League against Santa Ana on Oct. 4 and the Fighting Irish (3-2) begin play in the Lambda League against Valencia on Oct. 4.
“We were banged up coming out of (a 42-7 loss to Trabuco Hills on Sept.13),” Irvine coach Tom Ricci said. “Our goal was to get beyond this game with a W, so we could give our guys a chance to heal. So, I’m proud of the effort.”
Deacon Moss caught a 7-yard touchdown pass to give the Vaqueros a 7-6 in the first quarter, a lead that they never relinquished, and returned a fumble 30 yards for a score to give Irvine a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter.
Linebacker Joe Lynch stripped the ball from the quarterback on the play and Moss said he just happened to be “in the right place at the right time” when he scooped up the ball and ran it to the end zone.
In the second quarter, Moss also made a spectacular, juggling catch between two defenders for a 38-yard gain, setting up a 21-yard touchdown pass from Khoa Bui to Brandon Figueroa two plays later to give the Vaqueros a 14-6 lead.
Bui wound up completing 8 of 13 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
“The safety did a great job … and he flew over the top of me,” Moss said of the catch. “I had a step on the corner. I went up to catch it on top of the safety. I missed that one and I almost gave up on the play but in my head, I was like you know what, I’m going to give this everything I got. I threw my hand out and I was able to pull it in.”
The receiving touchdown was one of two scores for Figueroa, who barreled into the end zone, moving the pile for a 6-yard touchdown with 3:23 left in the game to give the Vaqueros a two-touchdown lead, making the possibility of a comeback virtually impossible for Kennedy.
“We screwed up the play,” Ricci said. “No one blocked, and he still got 6 yards.”
Kennedy’s Deon Bynum returned the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Irvine 30. After a 15-yard penalty on Irvine, Isaac Talamantes scored on an 11-yard run to give the Fighting Irish a 6-0 early lead.
Smith Spivey had two interceptions for Irvine, his second coming in the end zone in the closing minutes of the game.
From there, the Vaqueros were able to run out the clock.
