Canyon Springs Hands Irvine Third Loss in Row

MORENO VALLEY — Moreno Valley Canyon Springs avenged last year’s loss to Irvine in the Division IV championship game with a 31-0 nonleague victory Saturday night at Valley View High.

The Cougars (4-1), top-ranked in Division IV, lost to Irvine, 41-14, last year in the title game at Orange Coast College.

But Saturday night they dominated Irvine, limiting the Vaqueros to 155 yards total offense.

Irvine (2-3) lost its third consecutive game. Irvine quarterback Scott Larsen completed only six of 17 passes for 82 yards and one interception.

Canyon Springs took a 3-0 lead on a 26-yard field goal by Brandon Reitan with five minutes left in the first quarter. The Cougars then moved to a 10-0 lead on a 52-yard touchdown run by Ryan Pizinger with 11:50 left in the second quarter.

Canyon Springs added another score late in the first half. The Cougars got the ball on the Irvine 31-yard line after an 11-yard punt by Larsen.

Eight plays later, quarterback Ryan Roques connected with Matt Driscoll on a 14-yard pass with 25 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Cougars a 17-0 lead.

Roques then scored from four yards with 7:24 left to play for a 24-0 lead.

Canyon Springs capped the scoring when Terrelle Smith scored on a 68-yard touchdown run with 2:44 left.

Smith led Canyon Springs, rushing for 122 yards in 13 carries; Pizinger rushed for 95 yards in 10 carries.

Russ Diehl led Irvine rushing with 75 yards in 21 carries. Danny Noisy caught three passes for 27 yards for the Vaqueros.