Jaguars outlast Torreys, 42-35, to reach Division 4 final

Five weeks into the season, the situation appeared grim for the Valley Center High football team.A rash of injuries forced the Jaguars to forfeit a game to Carlsbad, which was followed by a nonleague loss to Imperial.But since then, Valley Center has found the road to success again, and the Jaguars are making their way to a CIF San Diego Section championship game for the first time since 2011 following a 42-35 home victory Friday night over La Jolla Country Day in a Division 4 semifinal matchup.Seeded No. 3, Valley Center (6-6) will take on Eastlake in the Division 4 title game Nov. 29 at Southwestern College. Eastlake toppled No. 1 seed Westview, 21-17, in Friday’s other semi.“We had so many injuries early on that some of our veteran coaches said they hadn’t seen so many in one season,” said third-year coach Bill Dunckel of his Jaguars. “But we’ve had a lot of guys tough it up and everybody has really come together.”Valley Center has now won five of its last six games, and it was senior running back Joeisha Ryan Tirado leading the way against La Jolla Country Day by rushing for 297 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries. His 8-yard touchdown run with 1:47 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the hosts a 42-28 lead, and although La Jolla Country Day managed to score on a touchdown pass with 41 seconds left, Mitch Stehly snagged the ensuing onside kick to preserve the victory.“I couldn’t do it without my offensive line,” said Tirado after his career-best effort. “I’d run behind those guys any day of the week.”The two teams battled to a 21-21 standoff in the first half, with Tirado running wild for Valley Center behind the offensive line of center Brody Lane, guards Lucas Helferich and Jack Stehly, and tackles Dilan Gonzalez and Peyton Stroh. Tirado scored on a pair of 2-yard runs out of the Wildcat formation, and he added a 14-yard touchdown run which gave the Jaguars a 21-14 lead with 5:37 left in the second period.La Jolla Country Day countered just three plays later with an 83-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jett Astephan to sophomore receiver Hesh Hertz, who gathered in the pass near midfield and raced the rest pf the way for the tying score with 4:35 left in the first half.Tirado rushed for 171 yards in the first half on 21 carries. Astephan was 12-of-16 with 194 yards passing for the Torreys at the intermission and finished 31-of-46 for 377 yards and four TDs.Valley Center scored on its first two possessions of the second half, with senior quarterback Braylon Mitchell connecting with receiver Gauge Wright on a pair of TD passes covering 17 and 29 yards for a 35-21 Jaguars lead going into the fourth period.James Picinich wrestled the ball away from a Jaguars receiver for an interception with 8:29 left in the fourth quarter, and Astephan found Hersh in the left corner of the end zone for a 26-yard TD pass, but the visitors could get no closer then seven points the rest of the way.“We had a chance until the very end, said Torreys coach Tyler Hales, who has guided La Jolla Country Day to three section titles but whose 12th season at La Jolla Country Day ended with a 6-7 record after the No. 10-seeded Torreys eliminated No. 7 seed Coronado and No. 2 seed El Capitan en route to the semifinals. “I’m so proud of these guys.”

Valley Center 42, La Jolla Country Day 35La Jolla Country Day   7  14  0  14 — 35Valley Center   14  7  14  7 — 42LJCD – Ward 1 run (Dorros kick)VC – Tirado 2 run (Penaloza kick)VC – Tirado 2 run (Penaloza kick)LJCD – Picinich 37 pass from Astephan (Dorros kick)VC – Tirado 14 run (Penaloza kick)LJCD – Hertz 83 pass from Astephan (Dorros kick)VC – Wright 17 pass from Mitchell (Penaloza kick)VC – Wright 29 pass from Mitchell (Penaloza kick)LJCD – Hertz 26 pass from Astephan (Dorros kick)VC – Tirado 8 run (Penaloza kick)LJCD – Cesaire 10 pass from Astephan (Dorros kick)