Fontana Continues Dominant Role : First Unit Plays Only First Half in 38-0 Rout of Ocean View

Fontana High School Coach Dick Bruich must be wondering what would happen if his first string had the opportunity to play an entire game.

For the second consecutive week, the Steelers rolled up some impressive numbers in the first half, let the reserves get some playing time, and still managed a shut out.

Fontana rolled to a 38-0 victory over Ocean View Friday night in front of 5,000 fans in Huntington Beach. The Steelers have totaled 72 points in two games, and what is even more impressive, is that they have scored 65 of those points in the opening halves.

The Times’ second-ranked team amassed 247 yards and limited Ocean View to only six in the first half en route to a 31-0 lead. Bruich kept his starters in the game for three plays in the second half before clearing his bench.

Nigel Clay, a 6-foot 4-inch, 240 pound tackle, and Ray Wood, a 6-3, 230 pound guard, anchored an offensive line that opened the way for the Steelers to gain 205 yards rushing in the first half. Tailback John Kidd gained 130 yards on 14 carries in the half and is averaging 11.4 yards per carry in two games.

“Fontana is an excellent football team and we knew that going into the game,” Ocean View Coach Karl Gaytan said. “I was disappointed that we didn’t give them a better game. Hopefully, we learned from the game and won’t let it destroy us.”

There was little for Ocean View fans to cheer about. The Seahawks didn’t get their initial first down until 7:27 was left in the third quarter as the Steelers showed they can play defense equally as well as amassing yardage.

Fontana scored on four of its opening five possessions and rubbed it in with a 42-yard field goal by Kenny Gonzales with three seconds left in the first half. You want domination? The Steelers didn’t punt until there was 3:42 left in the third quarter.

“I thought we were pretty good in the first half,” Bruich said. “Honestly, I thought Ocean View would be better defensively. I didn’t think we could run on them the way we did. I couldn’t tell you if this team is on a par with last year’s because we haven’t gotten to play a full game yet.”

Of course, it might help of Bruich had a decent schedule. The Steelers won’t play a tough team until their 10th and final game of the regular season when they face fourth-ranked Riverside Poly in the Citrus Belt League finale.

Gaytan thought the game was going to be a test if his team was ready for the rugged competition of the Sunset League. Obviously, the Seahawks have a long way to go before they’re going to challenge Edison, Fountain Valley or Marina.

“This game gave us an idea of what it’s like to play the class of the Big Five,” Gaytan said. “I thought Dick showed a lot of class by pulling his starters out early in the third quarter. He didn’t have his starters still in the game when they got a big lead like Fountain Valley and Edison did last year.”