Pacifica’s Southern Division run has a look of destiny about it

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It was a tough night to be the defending champion of the Southern Division. La Palma Kennedy was beaten by Garden Grove Pacifica, 17-7, Friday at Western High.

It was the second time this season Pacifica has defeated Kennedy (8-4), having won, 27-14, exactly one month ago. Mitch Olson, coach at Kennedy (8-4), was disappointed that night because he said his team ‘played terrible’ but was otherwise evenly matched. That wasn’t really the case on Saturday.

‘I would rather have lost the way we did this time than the way we did last time,’ Olson said. ‘[Tonight)] they just took it to us ... they pounded us.’

But how does Pacifica do it?

‘They’ve got really good athletes,’ Olson said. ‘Tyler Ortiz, Raphael Huizar ... Their quarterback, Raymond Huizar, is a very good athlete. They’re not big, but they’ve got athletic guys on their offensive line.’

Ortiz, a wide receiver and defensive back, believes there’s an intangible difference.

‘Yeah, we’re way smaller than just about everyone, but it’s the heart that we bring,’ Ortiz said. ‘I feel we want it more than anyone else. We got too much heart on our team for anyone to take it away from us.

‘This is a dream come true.’

He even said destiny may have something to do with it. Proof?

Pacifica (10-2) has three victories by one point, two victories by two points, and only four victories by more than 10 points. One of its losses was by one point.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.gear2000.com