EL CAJON – Normally as pass-happy as a team can be, Valhalla unveiled a different run-first strategy last night that wound up taking the Norsemen to places they had never been before.
Traivonne Brown led the way with 172 rushing yards as No. 3-seeded Valhalla ran away from Serra 35-7 in the San Diego Section Division III quarterfinals. With the convincing win, Valhalla (10-1) now has a 10-victory season and an invitation to the semifinals for the first time in school history.
Even better, with Steele Canyon upsetting No. 2 Ramona last night, the Norsemen will get another home game – against rival Steele Canyon, a team the Norsemen unmasked 28-3 on Halloween.
“Coming into the game, we knew we could run the ball against those guys,” junior quarterback Peter Thomas said. “Traivonne had a couple of great runs. And the offensive line did a great job of opening holes for all our backs.
“We worked really hard over the summer and all season long to get here, and now we've got that chance to play for the championship.”
Overall, Valhalla rushed 35 times for 273 yards and four TDs. Thomas wasn't too shabby throwing the ball, either. He completed 13-of-23 attempts for 167 yards with no interceptions.
Valhalla took a 14-0 lead into intermission as James Leighton (four catches, 80 yards) scored twice to cap lengthy drives.
After five plays on the opening series, Leighton took a draw play up the middle and into the end zone from 13 yards. Midway through the second quarter, Leighton hauled in a 16-yard TD pass from Thomas, dragging his feet just inside the left side of the end zone as he pulled the ball in.
Late in the third quarter, after Valhalla's Hanssell Wilson made an interception in the end zone, Brown took the first play off left tackle and raced 80 yards for the score, tying the sixth-longest run from scrimmage in school history.
“The O-line did their job,” Brown said. “They opened a big hole for me, and I just had to run through it.”
Thomas (2 yards) and Manuel Paramo (8) added two more rushing TDs in the fourth quarter before Serra could find the end zone on a 20-yard pass from Arthur Stewart to Andrew Nycum. Serra (8-4) also was looking for its first trip to the semifinals.
Stewart was 24-of-45 passing for 252 yards, but he also was intercepted four times – twice by Ivan May. Nycum caught six passes for 83 yards, Colton Bradley seven for 65.
“We moved the ball all game,” Serra coach Brian Basteyns said. “We'd get a good drive going and make a mistake or two. Offensively, we moved it. We just had trouble sticking it in there.
“But give Valhalla credit. They played great. They've got great coaching, a great offensive line, a great quarterback. That's a good ballclub.”
