By Jim Shilander
Capistrano Valley Christian stayed unbeaten on the season ahead of next week’s San Joaquin Valley showdown with Saddleback Valley Christian, rolling over Animo Leadership of Inglewood 49-12 at Thalassa Stadium Friday in San Clemente.
The Eagles did whatever they wanted in the first half, scoring 28 points in the first quarter and then another 14 within the first two minutes of the second. The teams’s short passing game gave fits to the Aztec Eagles in the first half, as Ben Sukut caught and passed for the team’s first two scores within the first six minutes of the quarter. Josh Anderson then returned an interception for a score on the ensuing Animo drive, then kicked the extra point for a 21-0 lead. Animo then fumbled on it’s next play, deep in its own end, leading to a three yard touchdown pass to Luke Stevens from Riley Babick.
Stevens also caught the first pass of the second quarter, trucking an Animo defender on his way into the end zone. Sukut added his third total touchdown of the half after a second interception led to another CVC possession.
With a number of backups entering the game, things got a bit sloppier for CVC, leading to a number of penalties that kept Animo’s final drive of the half going, along with a more effective Aztec Eagle offense. Animo scored on the final play of the half, leading to a 42-6 CVC lead at the half.
With a running clock in place in the second half, backup quarterback Chris Cenzer hit KCI Thompson for an eight-yard pass for the final Eagle score in the middle of the third quarter.
Eagle coach Dan Dodd said he was very pleased with the way the team came out in the first half, even in he knew the team would have to cut down on penalties.
“I feel pretty good about the way we played tonight,” Dodd said. “We teach our players to play to the whistle, to play physically. We may need to teach them to back off a bit.”
