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Drum it up however you want. But if we look at the Foothill League objectively, the king of the hill has been Valencia football. The Vikings won 11 straight league titles until this past spring when Saugus took them down 21-7 to lift the league crown, which marked its first outright Foothill League championship since 2008.
Sure, this makes Saugus the reigning league champion, but beating Valencia still holds more weight. If the Centurions’ first spring game was against Valencia last season, and they won, Saugus would have felt like West Ranch does right now: confident and worthy of a league crown.
It’s what taking down a longtime power does.
The Wildcats (6-1) made program history last week by taking down Valencia for the first time, 23-20. Kicker Jason Anderson delivered the game-winning field goal with 1:55 left in the game. The clock hit zeros and pandemonium ensued. The players stormed the field and West Ranch coach Chris Varner threw his hands in the air as he was drenched in victory from a Gatorade bath.
“That was the biggest win of my coaching career,” said Varner, who’s in his 6th year at the helm.
The scene was very similar to when Saugus took down Valencia in April.
To West Ranch’s credit, there was no hangover from last week’s emotions in Friday night’s 37-14 league win over Golden Valley at Canyon High. Speedy running back Dylan Roof had two rushing touchdowns, and the defense scored twice.
Junior linebacker Brady Van Bennekum was outstanding. He strip sacked Golden Valley quarterback Jaxson Miner which led to a scoop and score from Connor Reyes early in the first quarter. Van Bennekum later was the scooper and scorer on an 85-yard touchdown return in the second quarter to make it 20-7.
“His older brother was an All-CIF player for us,” Varner said of Brady. “I think he’s got more upside. He’s been a work in progress because he hasn’t played football since he was a freshman. Now we’re seeing what he’s capable of.”
Van Bennekum had an interception return for a touchdown against Valencia. He’s full of big plays.
“I put trust into the coaches’ game plan and all my teammates as well,” Van Bennekum said. “When I see an opportunity I am going to take it 10 out of 10 times. We have a special team that I know I can rely on.”
The defense has been the star in the team’s first two Foothill League wins, but through West Ranch’s nonleague schedule it’s been quarterback Ryan Staub, who’s already amassed more than 1,800 yards passing and 15 touchdowns this season. However, he’s thrown five interceptions in his last two games, including two red zone picks against Golden Valley.
“He didn’t have his best game,” Varner said of Staub’s performance against Valencia. “But it didn’t faze him. He was plugging away in the fourth quarter to help us win that game.”
Wideouts Maverick Diaz, Chaz Hilst and senior Dylan Cotti have a combined 13 touchdown receptions and over 60 catches between the three. Oh, and of course, Van Bennekum plays a little receiver, too. He’s got 26 receptions for 370 yards this season.
A GREAT drive for Golden Valley…knocking on the door for a TD. This blunder leads to another defensive West Ranch touchdown. A scoop and score from Brady Van Bennekum is returned 85 yards to the house.
West Ranch 20, Golden Valley 7.
7:17, 2Q pic.twitter.com/03V19oe7LI— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) October 9, 2021
If the air attack isn’t clicking, West Ranch goes to its run game, which has three capable ball carriers. Roof is so fast, it looks like he’s floating through the gap. He scored two touchdowns Friday night from 9 and 47 yards where he went untouched. Derek Miranda provides a more balanced approach. And Ike Sibal is a human wrecking ball that runs with power. It takes multiple defenders to bring him down.
West Ranch has big play defense, a dynamic offense that can pass and run, and a clutch kicker. Those three things alone have created the opportunity for the Wildcats to double down on its historic season after taking down Valencia and win its first-ever Foothill League title.
West Ranch will host Canyon (2-4) next week before what could be the game that decides the league title on Oct. 22 at Saugus (6-1).
“We aren’t even thinking about that stuff right now, I definitely don’t talk about it,” Varner said. “We approach things one play, one game at a time, and see how things turn out.”
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October 10, 2021 at 10:00PM
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Fattal: West Ranch football has ingredients to make run at first-ever Foothill League title - LA Daily News
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