Walz’s Interception Saves Corona del Mar

SANTA ANA —  In the time between deep-rooted paranoia and wide-eyed opportunity, defensive back Josh Walz made his move.

His interception with a minute left preserved Corona del Mar’s 12-8 victory over Santa Ana Valley Thursday at Santa Ana Stadium. Only then could Walz exhale.

Moments before he had seen teammate George Sumner make a diving tackle after getting beat deep by Kyle Marks, whose 37-yard reception shook the Falcons’ to life with a minute left. Marks then lined up opposite Walz.

“I was scared he was going to burn me deep,” Walz said. “I started back peddling right away. Then I saw the ball flutter and got there as fast as I could.”

Walz’s interception at the Corona del Mar 35-yard line finally suffocated the Falcons, who kept coming up for air. It was the second big defensive play by the Sea Kings (4-1) in a three-minute span.

Darren MacDonald had ended the Falcons’ previous drive with an interception at the Corona del Mar five-yard line. He managed to make the play despite being grabbed by Marks, who was called for offensive pass interference.

Walz and MacDonald made similar big plays on offense.

MacDonald had a leaping 29-yard reception between three defenders to set up Tom O’Meara’s two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Walz scored the Sea Kings’ other touchdown on a one-yard run early in the fourth quarter. He gained 25 of the 42 yards on the touchdown drive.

In the end, Walz and MacDonald kept the Sea Kings from losing a game they would have had no business losing. True, the Falcons (4-1) had waxed three of four opponents, but they were without two starters in the backfield. Quarterback Ricky Chavez is out for two more weeks with a broken thumb and running back Leafi Naea is suspended indefinitely for disciplinary reasons.

Without them, the Falcons relied too much on B.J. Wallace, who gained 254 yards last week. He was held to 38 yards by a Corona del Mar defense that stacked eight players within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

The Falcons’ only touchdown came after a punt bounced off Corona del Mar’s Ryan Achterberg and was recovered at the Sea King 25. Jason Parrott, a wide receiver filling in for Chavez, scored on a one-yard run after limping the offense forward.

The Falcon defense kept the score close with big plays. Garfield Banner had two sacks to stamp out one Sea King drive and then recovered a fumble to kill another.