THE BIG GAME: FALLBROOK VS. VISTA : North County Has Its Answer to the Fall Classic

Mention the words “hurry-up offense” to Fallbrook Coach Tom Pack, and he could describe how his 8-1 high school football team has pulled out winning scores with 10, 80 and 40 seconds to play in games this season.

This is a team that began the season with uncertainty: the starting quarterback was undecided; eight juniors, including four on the line, were starters on offense; and new to the varsity were seven starters on defense.

“Other teams have better talent,” said Fallbrook’s Scott Barrick, “but we want it so bad and we remain cool in the final minutes. Even if we don’t have plenty of time, the guys in the huddle tell one another we have plenty of time.”

Travel down East Vista Way a bit to Vista High and Coach Dick Haines could say that the only thing his team does in a hurry is put away the game. Its average winning margin is 28 points.

For the third consecutive season, Vista (5-0) and Fallbrook (4-1) will meet to decide the Palomar League title. Vista is ranked second and Fallbrook sixth in The Times’ Top 10.

At 7:30 tonight, an overflow crowd of 9,000 is expected at Vista Stadium. The rivalry between each city’s only high school has become the Game of the Year in the North County.

“At one time, Oceanside-Carlsbad and Oceanside-Escondido were the big rivalries,” said Al Diederich, who broadcast North County football games on KUDE from 1959-1978. “Vista football was the laughingstock of North County until Coach Dick Haines came (in 1970).

“Years ago, I did an interview with a head football coach at Vista who did not know the names of his players without looking at a score sheet. Dick Haines probably knows what those kids have for breakfast . . . Fallbrook-Vista has really become a rivalry since Fallbrook became a contender and started to play an exciting brand of football.”

The cities of Vista and Fallbrook are only nine miles apart, but that is the only way they can be described as close. The communities are different, the schools are different, the styles of football are as different.

It’s not unusual for Fallbrook to put the ball in the air 30 times a game. Vista has thrown about 60 passes all season.

“If our tight end catches five passes,” Haines said, “he will set a team record.”

As for the cities, Fallbrook has more avocados and Vista has more people.

“People in Fallbrook want to own a grove and get out of the rat race,” said Pack, who was born in Vista, but has spent much of his adult life in Fallbrook. “Vista is a little more of an aggressive community.”

As of Jan. 1, 1985, Vista’s population was 43,500 and Fallbrook’s was 27,466. Vista High has an enrollment of 3,250 students and Fallbrook has 1,900 students.

“There is a significant difference in enrollments,” Pack said. “In any other league, you won’t see that disparity. I’m a proponent of releaguing. A lot of our programs have a tough time. It’s in football that we’ve become competitive.”

The rivalry can be traced to the 1979 game. In Pack’s second season as head coach and Fallbrook’s second season after moving from the 2-A Avocado League to the 3-A Palomar League, Fallbrook lost to Vista by only 21-19.

“That was the closest we’d come to beating them,” Pack said.

The fall of 1982 is filled with fond memories for Fallbrook. That’s when the Warriors had a touchdown and an extra point in the final minute to defeat Vista, 23-22, and break an 11-year losing streak in the series.

With Jaime Miramontes at quarterback, Pack’s passing game reached its peak in 1983. In the next to the last game of the season, undefeated Fallbrook and Vista teams played at Vista.

The Warriors came back from a 14-0 deficit to win, 21-14, and virtually clinch the Palomar League title. One week later, the Warriors concluded an undefeated season.

Last year, Vista eliminated host Fallbrook, 21-7, to win the league title. The Panthers went on to the 3-A championship game, which they lost, 28-13, to Sweetwater.

That was the last game Vista lost.

“With a lot of people coming back this year and a lot of senior leadership,” Haines said, “I was able to expand the offense this year and try some things I wouldn’t otherwise dare try. We might have more weapons than we’ve ever had. We do have more home run weapons than we’ve every had.”

This season Vista has outscored Fallbrook, 337-180, in total points; placed first in offense (averaging 37.4 points a game); and placed eighth in defense (averaging 10 points allowed per game) in San Diego County. Their only close game was a 29-21 victory against Orange Glen.

Vista’s offense backfield of quarterback Sal Aunese, tailback Roger Price and fullback Brett Smith has gained 440 yards rushing. Aunese has run for 12 touchdowns this season.

Price ran 8 times for 271 yards and 4 touchdowns in Vista’s 55-13 win last week over San Dieguito. Price is the second leading rusher in the county with 1,218 yards (135.3 average), including 16 touchdowns.

“He’s unreal. When he beats people, defenders are getting nothing but air,” Haines said.

The Panthers used to rely primarily on the fullback trap and the power sweep. Then, the option was implemented. Now, Aunese nimbly operates five variations of the option.

Opening the holes is a line that is as good as it is big.

The guards are Albert Sega (5-feet 11-inches, 212 pounds) and Clarence Loa (6-1, 205). Tackles are Tim Matzkiw (6-3, 215) and Paul Benner (6-1, 230), and center is Louie Riddle (5-10, 212).

“We spend a lot of time working on technique and this year Coach Craig Bell has brought in a lot of innovative ideas,” Haines said.

Bell was the head coach at San Dieguito before becoming the offensive line coach at Vista.

“This year’s group is a step or so quicker than last year’s,” Haines said, “but last year’s line was actually a lot bigger.”

A lot bigger?

Maybe Vista should match up against Oklahoma or Ohio State. Most of its opponents in the North County view the Panthers as a sort of super-power.

“It is a one-horse town that doesn’t have to share the wealth,” said Orange Glen Coach Jeff Carlovsky of Vista, whose team lost close games to both Fallbrook and Vista this season. “Those kids have basically been running that offense since they were 8-years old and playing Pop Warner.”

The games against Orange Glen are indicative of the type of season it has been for Fallbrook and Vista.

With just under seven minutes to play, Orange Glen scored to close to within 23-21 of Vista. The Panthers methodically marched 75 yards to a touchdown that increased their lead and quieted the hometown fans at Orange Glen.

In Vista’s final drive, Price gained 56 yards on six straight carries to move the ball to the one-yard line. He finished the game with 139 yards on 24 carries.

Two weeks ago, which was two weeks after it lost to Vista, Orange Glen led Fallbrook, 31-27, late in the game. Late in the game, Fallbrook was faced with a fourth-down-and-five deep in Orange Glen territory. Gary Nelson caught a ball that bounced off the shoulder of a defender and backpedaled from the 10 to the 2.

After a penalty against the Warriors, Bill Dunckel caught an 8-yard pass with 40 seconds to play to give Fallbrook a 34-31 win.

“That game was a make-or-break point for us,” Barrick said.

It was also the third of Fallbrook’s dramatic wins this season.

Dunckel kicked a 37-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to beat El Camino, 10-9. The Warriors started their final drive from their 20 after El Camino took a 9-7 lead with 55 seconds to play.

The next week Barrick hit wide receiver Ty Barksdale with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 80 seconds remaining to defeat San Dieguito, 24-21.

Tonight, Fallbrook would gladly settle for another last-second victory. This is, after all, the matchup.

Run vs. Pass. Pack vs. Haines. 1983 Palomar League champion vs. 1984 league champion. The avocados of Fallbrook vs. the strawberries of Vista.

A clutch team vs. a dominant one.