Notre Dame Sputters, Then Hits Stride in 45-14 Victory Over Lompoc

SHERMAN OAKS —  Most coaches agree that it’s not how you start a game that’s important, but how you finish. That theory proved to be true Friday night as Notre Dame High overcame a first half filled with penalties and mistakes to record a 45-14 victory over Lompoc in a Division III quarterfinal at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame (11-1) recovered a Lompoc fumble on the opening kickoff and drove 41 yards in five plays to go up, 7-0, on a Justin Fargas five-yard touchdown run.

The Braves came right back, marching 64 yards in 12 plays to tie the score when quarterback Bryan Vargas found Charlie Van Dyke wide open in the back of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown play.

After stopping Notre Dame on its next possession, Lompoc (7-5) drove 99 yards in eight plays to take a 14-7 lead.

Anthony Perkins scored on a four-yard run one play after the Knights were flagged with an offside penalty as Lompoc lined up for a field-goal attempt.

The rest of the game was all Notre Dame, which scored 38 unanswered points.

Fargas tied the score with a 13-yard touchdown run with 5 minutes 6 seconds left in the half and Adam Boyd made the first of his two touchdown receptions 59 seconds later to put the Knights up for good.

Fargas added second-half touchdown runs of six and three yards to raise his season total to 29. He finished with 154 yards and four touchdowns in 21 carries.

“The defense stepped it up in the second half and we were able to make the plays we needed to on offense,” Fargas said.

Notre Dame fans got a scare with 9:20 left in the third quarter when Fargas lay motionless for a few moments, but was able to shake off a thigh injury.

“The offense did a great job the whole game,” Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney said. “In the second half, we played how we’re capable of playing.”

Notre Dame quarterback Jorge Piedra completed eight of 11 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.