Inland Conference Final : Valley Christian Holds Off Carpinteria

Junior tailback Bryan Templeton rushed for 119 yards and the winning touchdown Saturday night as Cerritos Valley Christian High School defeated Carpinteria, 10-7, in the Inland Conference championship football game at Cerritos.

It was the first title for Valley Christian (12-1) since it began playing 11-man football. In their only other appearance in the final, the Crusaders placed second in the 6-man division in 1964. Valley Christian’s only loss this season was to Laguna Beach, 16-14, a school twice its size.

Carpinteria, making its fourth championship appearance, finished 11-3.

A standing-room only crowd of about 6,000 watched two of the Southern Section’s highest-scoring teams record their season lows. Carpinteria entered the game averaging 38.5 points a game after outscoring its first three playoff opponents, 109-26.

Valley Christian averaged 35.3 points a game during the regular season but struggled last week in its semifinal game at Tehachapi before winning in overtime, 21-14.

While the defenses did play key roles, it was turnovers and penalties that did more to stifle the two offenses. The teams combined for 151 yards in penalties. They fumbled five times. Both Carpinteria quarterback Tyler Whitney and his Valley Christian counterpart, Mike Westra, were intercepted twice.

A fumble by Carpinteria fullback John Zanini that was recovered by Crusader defensive back Mike Mandeville at the Valley Christian one-yard line proved a crucial error. A score would have given the Warriors a 14-10 lead. The mistake, which occurred just before the end of the third quarter, ended a drive that had gone 74 yards in 7 plays.

Westra was a surprise starter. He was thought to be out for the season after breaking his collarbone five weeks ago. He did not receive a doctor’s approval to play until last Thursday. After watching him throw in practice, Coach Mike Wunderley decided to start him. Westra was particularly impressive on the rollout option, where he had runs of 14, 7, 7 and 17 yards for first downs.

Whitney, the Southern Section’s third-ranked passer with nearly 2,800 yards, hit 11 of 19 pass attempts for 182 yards.

Sean McQuown’s 46-yard field goal on Valley Christian’s first possession capped the first-half scoring. It came with less than 6 minutes gone.

Carpinteria opened the second half in impressive fashion, driving 73 yards after the opening kickoff for a score. Whitney was sensational on the drive, first rolling out on an option for 42 yards, then hitting flanker Ray Martinez for 30 yards at the Crusader two-yard line. Zanini scored on the next play.

But Valley Christian’s Templeman capped a five-play, 63-yard drive on a 34-yard touchdown run over right tackle with 8:28 remaining in the third period.