ORANGE – Villa Park drove the 55 route to another victory.
The Spartans beat Western, 55-20, on Thursday in a nonleague football game at El Modena High.
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Villa Park beat Farrington of Hawaii, 55-6, two weeks ago in the Spartans’ season opener.
Western is 0-2. The Pioneers lost to Salesian last week, 42-14.
Four of Villa Park sophomore quarterback Jacob Titchenal’s five completions were touchdown passes. In the win over Farrington, three of his nine completions were touchdown passes. So far this season, Titchenal is 14 for 17 with seven touchdowns.
Villa Park’s Sean Byrnes blocked two punts, one of which was recovered by teammate Carsten Rasmussen for a touchdown. The Spartans also recorded a safety.
Western quarterback Tywon Nesby threw three touchdown passes, all to receiver Ayden Payne.
Titchenal did not get touched one time by Western’s defensive players, which of course made him happy.
“I think our guys showed up,” Titchenal said. “We’ve been coming on since spring ball, putting the work in every day. I think we’re showing everyone who we are.”
Thursday’s game was Villa Park coach Dusan Ancich’s 150th win with the Spartans. He was especially pleased that so many players got to play Thursday.
“It’s great that for two games in a row everybody in a helmet got to play,” Ancich said. “Those guys put their time in. It’s great to them go out there and play in front of their families.”
Villa Park is No. 18 in the Orange County Top 25; Western is No. 24.
Villa Park did not punt in the win over Farrington. The Spartans did not punt Thursday until late in the third quarter when they began playing second- and third-string players.
Byrnes’ first punt block happened on Western’s first possession. That gave the Spartans the ball at the Western 20-yardline.
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Villa Park scored on a 3-yard pass from Titchenal to Benjamin Hanna. Ryan Bell scored on a two-point conversion run for an 8-0 lead.
Byrnes’ second punt block was recovered by Carsten Rasmussen in the end zone for a touchdown and a 15-0 lead.
A 34-yard touchdown pass from Titchenal to Junior Orta expanded the Villa Park lead to 22-0 with 2:10 left in the first quarter.
Western scored early in the second quarter. Pioneers quarterback Tywon Newsby, who played receiver exclusively last week, threw a short pass to Ayden Payne who turned it into a 70-yard touchdown play to make it 22-7.
Villa Park’s Alexander Samuel returned a punt 44 yards to the Western 15-yard line. That set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Maverick DeClerk, normally a linebacker who earned All-Orange County status at that position last season, to extend the Spartans lead to 29-7.
Coy Collins scored on a 3-yard run for a 36-7 Villa Park lead later in the second quarter. Western scored with 12 seconds left in the second quarter on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Nesby to Payne to create a 36-14 halftime score.
Villa Park took the second half-opening kickoff and quickly scored on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Titchenal to Ryan Riley for a 43-14 lead.
Nesby covered a bad snap in the end zone for a Villa Park safety. Another Villa Park touchdown followed quickly, a 38-yard pass from Titchenal to Donavyn Scott to make it 52-14.
Western got its final touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Nesby to Payne. Villa Park’s Dalton Lang concluded the scoring with a 46-yard field goal with 2:21 remaining to create the 55-20 final score.
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