Savanna’s Defense Stops Valencia Cold

ANAHEIM — Savanna, turning in its best defensive performance of the season, shut out Valencia, 21-0, in Orange League play Thursday at Glover Stadium.

The Rebels limited the Tigers to 111 yards, 50 in the opening drive, in producing their first shutout. The victory coupled with Western’s victory over Magnolia, gives Savanna (6-3, 3-1 in league) sole possession of second place.

“I’m really pleased with our defense,” Savanna Coach Fred Di Palma said. “We knew it would be a hard-hitting game especially one which meant so much to them.”

The loss dropped the Tigers to 1-3 in league.

The Rebel offense was mostly a relentless ground attack with quarterback Robin Dano attempting only three passes, all incomplete.

Jason Brown exploded for a 55-yard gain on the first play of the second Savanna drive. The run was stopped by a diving tackle by E. J. Smith.

Leon Kellum completed the 83-yard scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run four plays later. Justin Lang blocked the conversion try to hold the Rebel lead to 6-0.

Camron King scored from the 15 and Kellum ran in the two-point conversion to increase the Savanna lead to 14-0 with 5:54 left in the half.

Savanna had one more opportunity to score before halftime but Cesar Ramirez’s attempt for a 37-yard field goal was blocked by Lang with 1:18 left.

Valencia had its best chance to score in the fourth quarter, when Smith recovered a fumbled punt return on the Savanna 24.

But Savanna’s Ryan del Rosario intercepted a Jason Annis pass and returned it 38 yards to the Valencia 47. King’s 38-yard run set up a one-yard touchdown run by Dano.

Brown paced the Savanna running attack with 150 yards in 14 carries and King had 112 yards in 11 tries.