Ocean View football grinds to season-opening victory over Los Amigos
The Ocean View High football team did enough to get a victory on Friday night in its season opener.
It may not have been pretty, but it was something the young Seahawks can build on going forward.
Ocean View held off visiting Los Amigos 19-13 in a nonleague game that had no points scored by either team in the second half.
“I think a lot of times, these kids are so scared to fail,” Ocean View coach Luis Nuñez said. “We felt it as coaches, that a lot of these kids were just tight. We only had two returning starters [on offense], a lot of young guys who have never played varsity football. Hopefully we learned from it. We’ll watch a lot of film on Monday. We’ll get better as the season goes on.”
Ocean View essentially iced the game on a 48-yard run up the middle by junior Jonathan Gonzalez in the final two minutes, converting a third-and-four situation from the Seahawks’ 23. Senior quarterback Braden Crabtree faked a quick screen pass to the right to senior receiver Brandon Alcaraz, before handing it off to Gonzalez.
The young Seahawks will look to rebuild after winning a program-record nine games and sharing the Pac 4 League championship last season.
Gonzalez, who Nuñez said did not play in the first half due to disciplinary reasons, had 12 carries for 73 yards in the second half.
Crabtree, making his debut at starting quarterback for the Seahawks, completed 13 of 21 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown, a 32-yard strike to Alcaraz. But Ocean View also committed nine penalties for 80 yards and generally had trouble finishing drives after Alcaraz’s touchdown catch with 8:40 left in the second quarter gave the hosts a 19-6 lead.
The Lobos had a 10-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Justin Boyer to senior receiver Juan Contreras to cut the lead just before halftime. Still, the Seahawks did enough to beat Los Amigos (0-2) for the third straight year.
“We only had the ball three times in the second half,” Nuñez said. “We just didn’t finish. We had long drives that would eat clock and flip the field. We’ll finish those drives later. I know we will. It’s a young group on the line.”
Boyer’s favorite target by far was senior receiver Adolfo Chavez, who racked up 10 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown. But the Lobos got into Ocean View territory just once in the second half, and the drive stalled at the Seahawks’ 38 as Los Amigos was forced to punt.
Still, Los Amigos coach Maopu Tuato said he saw improvement from last week’s 27-7 loss to Dana Hills.
“I’m really proud of the effort, which is something we lacked last year,” Tuato said. “Kids would give up as soon as somebody scored a touchdown on us. That’s what we’ve been working on, trying to be better in everything we do. Fighting back like that from being down, especially early, is a true sign that we’re headed in the right direction.”
Los Amigos junior Juan Mendiola led the way on defense for the Lobos with four quarterback sacks.
“He’s a great athlete,” Tuato said. “Very humble, doesn’t say much. He hasn’t realized his true potential himself, so I think even he was surprised with his four sacks today. But he’s been working his butt off every day, and it’s starting to pay off.”
Ocean View senior Dillon Kerrigan had two short touchdown runs in the first half, but Kerrigan was ejected for a personal foul in the final minute of the first half on a kickoff return. Enter Gonzalez, who came in with fresh legs in the second half and ended up icing the game.
Nonleague
Ocean View 19, Los Amigos 13
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Los Amigos 6 – 7 – 0 – 0 — 13
Ocean View 7 – 12 –0 – 0 — 19
FIRST QUARTER
OV – Kerrigan 1 run (Barreto kick), 2:15.
LA – Chavez 68 pass from Boyer (run failed), 1:59.
SECOND QUARTER
OV – Kerrigan 4 run (kick failed), 11:22.
OV – Alcaraz 32 pass from Crabtree (kick failed), 8:40.
LA – Contreras 10 pass from Boyer (Chavez kick), :15.
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
LA – Boyer, 4-18.
OV – Gonzalez, 12-73.
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
LA – Boyer, 12-22-0, 135, 2 TDs.
OV – Crabtree, 14-21-0, 245, 1 TD.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
LA – Chavez, 10-123, 1 TD.
OV – Alcaraz, 7-142, 1 TD.
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