Woodbridge was led by (from left) Waylon Stone, Joey Coykendall and Lucas Viau in the win over Calvary Chapel. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Woodbridge’s football team, at least the returning players and second-year Coach Connor McBride, had some extra incentive going into Thursday night’s Lambda League opener vs. Calvary Chapel at University.
Calvary Chapel handled the Warriors 35-0 in the season opener last year, which was McBride’s debut.
Woodbridge went on to win the CIF Division 13 title, but there were still unpleasant memories of that opener vs. Calvary Chapel at Segerstrom.
Thursday night, Woodbridge flipped the script, winning 42-28 over the Eagles in an offensive shootout in which both quarterbacks, Woodbridge sophomore Waylon Stone and Calvary Chapel junior Colin Wiles, were sensational.
“As a collective group, I knew that we had to get it back against them and we put up 42 on them,” Stone said. “My O-line did amazing, our receivers were catching the ball, it’s all them, they played amazing.”
“I’m very proud of my team,” McBride added. “This is our second win in a row after going 0-4, that’s always a great feeling. I’m really proud of how my team handled adversity. We spent two weeks preparing for Calvary and they’re a great team, they kicked our butts last year for my very first game so it was nice to have a little revenge.
“They handed it to us last year and I know Coach Jack McInally really well, he coached me in the all-star game, so we’re always smiling afterwards.”
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It was a battle from start to finish with the teams tied 14-14 at halftime and again 28-28 late in the third quarter.
But Stone was the difference. He continued to show his development, completing 13 of 23 passes for 188 yards and four touchdown passes with one interception. He also showed his explosiveness carrying the ball, rushing for 172 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns to help the Warriors (2-4, 1-0) overcome a six-point deficit in the third quarter.
The biggest score came when Stone scrambled under pressure and went into the end zone on a 22-yard run early in the fourth quarter to give Woodbridge a 35-28 lead.
“I was running the other way, and then I cut it back, and as I was running, Ryan Dumont made an amazing block and that allowed me to score,” he said. “Great block by him, for sure.”
McBride was impressed with Stone’s overall effort.
“He’s been that guy for us as a true freshman,” McBride said. “We’re giving him a bigger role in leadership this year. We know he can run the ball as well and tonight he really showed us that, so I’m really proud of him being our leader and being that leader for us.”
Stone hooked up with Lucas Viau on a 26-yard touchdown with 4:11 remaining in the game to put the Warriors ahead 42-28. Stone hit Viau on a 20-yard TD pass in the first quarter for the Warriors first score. Viau wound up with six catches for 108 yards.
Joey Coykenall had another big game too, hauling in a 5-yard TD pass from Stone in the third quarter that put Woodbridge ahead 21-20 following the conversion.
“Any time we get close to the goal-line, I know my team has confidence in me,” he said. “And I have confidence in myself and my quarterback puts it where it needs to be and I catch the ball. We lost 35-0 last year, we come here today and play in front of our home crowd and our first league game and put up 42 and won the game, it meant a lot to us.”
Following the score, Calvary Chapel fumbled on its next possession and Woodbridge, after taking over on the Eagles’ 12, cashed it into a score when Stone scored on a 1-yard TD run to give the Warriors a 28-20 lead.
Stone also threw a 17-yard TD pass to Ayden Boochee in the first quarter that gave Woodbridge a 14-6 lead.
Keyasunn Stinson had some big rushes in the second half and wound up with 72 yards rushing on 16 carries for Woodbridge.
Wiles led Calvary Chapel (3-3, 0-1) completing 19 of 31 passes for 296 yards and three touchdown passes. Jack Haney was the leading receiver with nine catches for 143 yards and TD receptions of 14 and 20 yards.
The second catch helped Calvary Chapel tie the game 28-28 following a two-point conversion with three minutes left in the third quarter.
The Eagles Eliah Flores also had four catches for 89 yards and hauled in a 54-yard touchdown catch and run in the first quarter that closed the gap to 7-6.
“It was a rough one, we had seven starters out, we got beat up by Carpenteria last week (Calvary won 29-13) so I’m actually so proud of our guys,” said McInally, the Calvary Chapel coach. “Our sophomores came out, we started an entire sophomore secondary, really, really proud of our guys.
“I can’t speak high enough about Waylon Stone, that quarterback is so good from Woodbridge. We looked like we had him a couple times in the backfield and then he would go for 40 for a touchdown. The kid is a stud and Connor McBride is an awesome guy, awesome coach. But I’m reallly, really proud of us. we’re a young team and I’m really looking forward to the rest of league.”
With Wiles at quarterback and some talented receivers, the Eagles stayed close to the end.
“Colin did a realy good job of getting the ball to Jack Haney,” McInally said. “I’m really proud of Colin.”
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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