The Lompoc Braves made their first game of the season a statement game Friday night as they thumped Paso Robles 35-7 at Huyck Stadium.

The statement was one coach Robin Luken made all week regarding his team's departure after this season from the Div. X Los Padres League and into the Div. IV Pac-5.

"We've got something to prove," he said. "We're going to be playing Paso Robles next year in a Pac-5 league game. We want to tell them to buckle their helmets."

The Braves did exactly that as they swarmed to the ball on defense, harassing two Bearcat quarterbacks to the tune of seven sacks, three interceptions and just 12 completions in 28 passing attempts.

On the ground they held heralded tailback Darrell Duran to just three runs of 10 yards or more.

"I thought we out-hit them," said an admittedly surprised Luken after the game.

"Our kids came out and executed on the defensive side. They plugged up the passing lanes and kept the pressure on."

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Most hopeful for Brave partisans was the identity of those doing the sacking. They were from the interior line, the very spot the coach had said earlier worried him the most about his 2005 squad.

Meanwhile the blue offense was on fast-strike mode.

In the first quarter wingback Sam Ruiz took the LHS bread-and-butter inside reverse for 66 yards down the right sideline to put the Braves on the five. Two plays later fullback Jakob Sims crunched over for the game's first score.

With 18 seconds still to play in the same quarter lightning quick tailback Joseph Scott zipped 71 yards along the left sideline to score.

In the second quarter, after a 59-yard Paso Robles scoring drive featuring a 39-yard pass from Stuart Sheldon to Justin Swancon, the Braves threw another lightning bolt.

This time Sims, all 215 pounds of him, rumbled along the western sideline for 61 yards, aided by downfield blocking by receiver John Terrones.

Then shortly before halftime Terrones hauled in a Tim Ochoa pass for 30 yards taking the Braves to the Paso 11 from where Brice Fabing booted a field goal to build the Lompoc margin to 23-7.

There was no scoring in the third quarter but in the fourth tight end Frankie Osegueda wrestled an Ochoa toss out of the hands of a defensive back for a 16 yard gain and put Lompoc on the four yard line. Scott then raced to the left corner for the score. Finally as the game ended reserve wingback Zach Wales carried for 14, six, and then four to raise final margin to 35-7.

Scott led Lompoc with 125 yards on 16 carries while Sims noted 79 yards on seven carries. Ochoa was 5-for-7 for 99 yards and no interceptions.

Villa Park 42, Righetti 24

ORANGE -The newly installed field turf at Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange got plenty of wear and tear in hosting its first high school football game.

Villa Park running backs Derek Hines and Steven Munoz christened the field with a combined 368 yards and six rushing touchdowns as the Spartans came away with a 42-24 victory over Righetti of Santa Maria.

Munoz racked up the yards on only six carries, scoring on runs of 55, 76 and 80 yards.

Hines scored on runs of 2, 55 and 63 yards.

"I really like our running backs," Villa Park coach Pat Mahoney said. "One kid is big (Hines) and the other (Munoz) is real fluid and fast."

What Mahoney did not like however, was the amount of rushing yards the Spartans defense allowed.

Righetti back Chad Stephens led all rushers with 304 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries.

Lemoore 19, SLO 6

LEMOORE - Eli Silva rushed for 114 yards, while David Ausberry scored two touchdowns in leading the host Tigers to a non-league victory over the visiting Tigers.

Stuart Hill rushed for 152 yards in the loss for San Luis Obispo, who only managed two field goals from Darren Lefever (22, 35).

Madera 39, Arroyo Grande 14

MADERA - Julio Mora made a lot out of fairly short gains - at Arroyo Grande's expense.

Mora caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Bates, scored on a 9-yard run, caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Bates and then ran for a two-yard touchdown as the Coyotes rolled to a non-league victory.

New Arroyo Grande quarterback Blas Uzueta connected with former AG quarterback Kyle Pollock on a 17-yard touchdown pass, and James Valdez II returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score for the Eagles, who had just 121 yards of total offense.

Sept. 3, 2005