SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : ‘Boring’ Vista Wins Big . . . Again

As Vista High School rolled toward a 48-21 victory over Fallbrook Friday night, one of the Fallbrook supporters on the sideline began to get a little bit exasperated.

“What a boring offense they have,” he said. “All they do is run one play.”

The fan had a point. Vista may run what seems to be one basic play, but the Panthers run it well. It’s called “41 speed sweep,” and, against Fallbrook, it was good enough for five touchdowns to help No. 1-ranked Vista (4-0) to its 17th straight victory.

Fallbrook, ranked No. 8, fell to 2-1-1 in the Palomar League opener.

But, more about the play.

Tommy Booker, Vista’s senior tailback ran right, ran left and ran through Fallbrook from his position as the deep back in Vista’s I-formation. Booker gained 224 yards on 21 carries and scored three touchdowns.

Also from the 41 speed sweep setup, wingback Marc Jones ran the reverse and picked up 134 yards on 6 carries.

“We run a lot of variations off that play,” Vista Coach Dick Haines said. “All of it, though, is set up by Booker.”

And it’s easy to see why. Booker, a 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pounder, came into the game averaging nearly nine yards per carry. With his three touchdowns Friday, he has now scored 13 touchdowns.

Thus, Haines has another name for the 41 speed sweep.

“Just call it Booker touchdown,” he said.

In the first quarter, the play could have been called “Jones touchdown.”

After Fallbrook took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards for a 6-0 lead, Jones took an inside handoff from his wingback position and ran 72 yards for a score on Vista’s first play.

Later, it was Booker’s turn. With the score 14-14 midway through the second quarter, Booker took a 41 speed pitch to the left and ran 70 yards to a touchdown.

Earlier in the second quarter, Booker had scored on a 77-yard run only to have the play called back.

Fallbrook came out winging with its ball-control pass offense, and scored on its first two possesions.

Quarterback Scott Barrick threw a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes to wide receiver Bill Dunckel for a 14-7 Fallbrook lead.

Trailing 14-7, Vista thwarted one more Fallbrook threat with an interception by Tom Cross at the Vista 14. A few minutes later, Bill Faraimo tied the game with a quarterback sneak and Vista was ready to assert itself.

After Booker’s 70-yard run made it 21-14 at the half, Vista methodically took control. Booker scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and Faraimo added an 84-yard scoring pass to Jones in the fourth quarter.

Barrick wasn’t as effective after his fast start but still finished with 256 yards passing while completing 30 of 45 passes.