Seal’s 237 Yards Spark Irvine Victory

IRVINE —  Senior Scott Seal scored the winning touchdown on a two-yard run with 32 seconds left to give Irvine a 21-14 victory over Chino in a Division IV playoff game Friday at Irvine.

Seal was the game’s most dominant player as he rushed for a career-high 237 yards in 42 carries and scored three touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,592 yards and scored 23 touchdowns this season.

Irvine (10-1), which has won nine in a row, meets El Modena in the second round next Friday. El Modena beat Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 34-21, Friday.

Irvine’s winning drive started at the Chino 38-yard line after a 28-yard punt that was held up by the wind. The drive started with 1 minute 21 seconds left. The key play came when Aron Garcia completed a 26-yard pass to Todd Thomas, giving Irvine a first down at the Chino 12.

Seal then carried for eight yards on first down, and two yards on second down, giving Irvine a first and goal at the Chino two. Seal then scored the winning touchdown, diving over the middle, on the next play.

Chino (6-4-1) had tied it on a five-yard run by Alex Brown with 7:02 left. Brown also had a solid game, gaining 163 yards in 21 carries.

Seal had given Irvine a 7-0 lead when he scored on a 22-yard run around the left side with 7:26 left in the second quarter. Irvine led, 7-0, at the half.

Chino tied the score on a two-yard run by Jesus Reyes with 7:18 left in the third quarter. Seal scored on a one-yard run about five minutes later to give Irvine a 14-7 lead.

Irvine’s defense did a solid job on Chino’s passing game. Grant White, the Chino quarterback, was seven of 11 for only one yard. Three of his completions netted minus-11 yards. Each was a screen play that Irvine’s defenders swarmed to behind the line of scrimmage.