The Vikings defeated Hart (7-2, 4-1) by a resounding 44-14 score in an exciting contest that highlighted Valencia’s strength and talent.

Fans at COC’s Cougar Stadium were on the edge of their seats the whole game as the Vikings went on an offensive and defensive rampage.

Valencia (4-4, 4-0) showcased their talents from the first drive when Brady Bretthauer connected with Nick Seymour for a 69-yard touchdown pass. While the drive ended in 7 points, the Vikings made a few mental errors, with three flags and a fumble that the offense recovered.

“Obviously, you don’t want those mistakes, but at some point, you’re going to have mistakes, and you’ve got to have the composure to overcome them,” said Valencia Head Coach Larry Muir.

Muir emphasized that if players focus on their assignments, they can make plays and utilize their weapons on offense.

One of Valencia’s biggest weapons all season has been running back Brian Bonner, who finished his night with two touchdowns, the first on kickoff and the second on a 98-yard run.

From endzone to endzone Brian Bonner takes it in from 98-yards out for his second touchdown of the night.
Hart 7 – Valencia 27 pic.twitter.com/E3l3kJUaaG

— KHTS Sports (@KHTSSports) October 19, 2024

Other than Bonner, Seymour racked in two touchdowns and over 100 receiving yards, while Bretthauer and Nico Funez had one of their own.

Nico Funez celebrates his touchdown with teammate Logan Thompson.
Steven Barrera | KHTS

The Hawks’ offense has looked different in the last two games, with backup quarterback Nate Mata starting over an injured Jacob Paisano.

Despite Paisano being suited up and having warmed up during pre-game Friday night, Mata got the start.

“I think Mata is a great player as well, and we have a lot of good people, so it’s a good problem,” said Hart Head Coach Jake Goosen-Brown.

With Mata at the helm, the Hawks were able to drive the ball at moments and scored off a 21-yard run from Zach Rogozik, who is coming off a seven-touchdown game against Canyon.

Hart ties it up with a minute left in the first quarter off a 21-yard rushing touchdown from Zach Rogozik
Hart 7 – Valencia 7 pic.twitter.com/G3vs9ThPLR

— KHTS Sports (@KHTSSports) October 19, 2024

But at other times, mainly in the red zone, Hart’s offense stalled out, whether from penalties or other miscommunications.

In the second half, Goosen-Brown used Paisano as his “ace in the hole” and started him.

“[Paisano] looked pretty good in practice, and I figured if we needed to pull him in, then we would do it,” said Goosen-Brown. “We were hoping he would give us a little spark, which he did.”

Paisano gave the offense a jolt of life, but the team could not capitalize on it until their final drive when Paisano connected with Oliver Welch for a touchdown.

Starting the half up 27-7, Valencia knew that Hart could make plays and that they needed to keep their foot on the gas.

It showed on the Vikings’ first drive of the second half when they converted on fourth down while in field goal range. Muir referred to it as “calculated aggression.”

“We always talk about being calculated in what we’re doing,” said Muir. “It’s one thing to be aggressive and kind of blindly aggressive, but you need to be thoughtful. I think our guys did a good job of that.”

While Muir was pleased with the offense, Valencia’s defensive coordinator, Matt Nyberg, was also pleased with the way his defense played.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these boys,” said Nyberg. “They’ve gotten better every week. They’ve trusted in their training, and they just go out there and play. It’s been great to see the evolution of the defense.”

Nyberg also mentioned that the defense did a good job of adapting to Hart’s second-half quarterback switch.

 “Both the quarterbacks were awesome. So there was a huge emphasis on just preparing for either style of offense,” said Nyberg.

With the win over Hart, Valencia has moved into the first-place spot in the Foothill League. If the Vikings can close out the season on a winning streak, they can become back-to-back league champions.

Valencia’s next challenge will be Castaic, which will kick off at 7 p.m. from Valencia High School.

The Hawks will be on a bye week and then will play their final regular season game against Saugus.

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