Woodbridge players, coaches and cheerleaders celebrate after Friday’s victory. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
It looked for a while like Woodbridge and University were headed to another overtime battle in a non-league football game at University Friday night.
Woodbridge won last year’s league match 37-36 in two overtimes.
Friday night’s match-up between the crosstown rivals was another thriller, but this one was decided in regulation.
Woodbridge rallied from a one-point deficit, scoring the go-ahead TD on a 1-yard TD plunge by quarterback Waylon Stone and the Warriors converted a two-point conversion to defeat University 29-22.
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Stone’s TD run, on his second attempt of the drive to score, came with 14 seconds remaining. Stone hooked up with Joey Coykendall on a 2-point conversion pass to put Woodbridge ahead by seven and the Warrior defense ended the game with a quarterback sack on the next drive near midfield.
The stands were packed on both sides of the stadium, which is the home field for both Woodbridge and University. Woodbridge was the home team. Bands from both teams entertained the fans between plays and the Woodridge band performed at halftime.
The game started off with some fireworks, so to speak, when Woodbridge’s Adam Howell returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.
“We’re really proud of him, that really did bring the energy and set the tone,” said Woodbridge Coach Connor McBride.
It was the first victory of the season for Woodbridge, which dropped its first four games. The Warriors started the 2025 season 0-7 before getting untracked and winning the CIF Division 13 championship.
It was a big relief for McBride and his Warriors who celebrated the dramatic win on the field.
“It means everything to me,” a jubilant McBride, a former Uni assistant, said after the game. “Losing the first four games were really tough, going out there and giving all the work every single week without a positive response, hats off to this team, two years in a row, they {Uni} don’t give up. They really bring it to the very end so hats off to them as opponents and the coaching staff.
“We pulled it out in the end, it means a lot to us in the end, going into the bye week and feel very confident going into league, so it was a much needed win.”
University (2-3) suffered its second consecutive tough loss after Anaheim rallied last week to defeat the Trojans 28-24.
But the Trojans battled until the end.
University cut the lead to 21-20 when senior quarterback Dylan Elmer connected with senior receiver Moises Keith-Chavez on a 42-yard TD pass with 3:44 remaining in the game.
The Trojans opted for the two-point conversion and Elmer hit Charlie Carmichael on a 2-point play to give University a 22-21 lead.
But Woodbridge battled right back with Stone picking up some big yards on runs and pass plays to Coykendall, including a 27-yard pass play to move the ball to the Trojans 1-yard line with 24 seconds left.
After being stopped on the first play, a determined Stone leaped over for the score. Stone completed 12 of 13 passes for 128 yards with one interception. He also had a key 22-yard scamper on the final drive.
“I’m really proud of their maturity of my guys at the end of the game, they handled that situation,” McBride said. “Waylon Stone is who we count on every time. I think he had a couple mistakes that he wasn’t too happy about. But we counted on him, he’s a sophomore and he’s the one who led us to success in the past and will in the future.”
“We knew what we had to do when we went out there,” said Stone of the last drive. “Our defense was holding up for us, it was a close game up until that point. We worked all off-season for that moment right there, the last drive and I think our whole offensive team was confident we were going to punch that in.
“It means everything, this win is one of the most influential wins of my career. It means everything to me and I’m sure it means everything to our players too.”
Coykendall hauled in five catches for 78 yards and caught a 17-yard TD pass from Stone early in the second quarter that gave Woodbridge a 14-0 lead. Coykendall was the back-up QB for the Warriors last season.
Woodbridge running back Keyasunn Stinson was also impressive, rushing for 146 yards on 18 carries and a 15-yard TD run in the third quarter to put the Warriors ahead 21-14.
“I felt pretty confident, I knew we were going to come out strong,” said Stinson. “I was confident in my team to do what we did. It was very meaningful. We get to celebrate with my team, we get to get our confidence back and go into league confident.”
Elmer led the Trojans completing 12 of 21 passes for 177 yards and three touchdown passes. He also had one interception. He also connected with Vitor Campos on a 2-yard TD pass in the second quarter for the Trojans first score.
Elmer’s second TD pass was a 33-yard strike to Moises-Chavez in the second quarter that tied the game. Moises-Chavez had another big game with eight catches for 156 yards.
Uni Coach Vince Mesa and his staff had a lengthy post-game meeting with players. He left the field before a reporter could ask him for comments about the game.
Both teams have byes before being starting league play the following week. Woodbridge and Uni are in separate leagues this season.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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