SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : Big Plays, Turnovers Give Oceanside a 42-27 Victory

In a game full of big plays, Oceanside High School’s Morey Paul made the biggest one Friday night.

Paul took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and ran a punt back 70 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter and Oceanside went on to a 42-27 victory over La Jolla in a San Diego Section 2-A football semifinal at Vista High.

The victory earned Oceanside a trip to the championship game next Saturday night at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium against either Lincoln or Grossmont.

“I caught the ball and started around the right corner,” Paul said, “But when I looked up, I saw a couple of defenders. I just put my head down and closed my eyes. When I looked up, it was clear sailing.”

Paul’s touchdown gave Oceanside a 35-21 lead late in the third quarter and came only moments after he had a 40-yard touchdown return called back by a clipping penalty.

“I was pretty upset when that first one was called back,” Paul said. “I thought maybe I’d have a chance to do it again.”

The big plays started early in a game played in a light rain.

Forced to start at the 3-yard line after the opening kickoff and stymied after three incomplete passes, La Jolla had to punt from its own end zone. But Sean Turner mishandled a low snap from center and Eric Brown fell on the ball to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

The rest of the first half was dominated by big plays and crucial turnovers.

Oceanside’s Shane Wiggins tied the score on a 70-yard run as soon as the Pirates got the ball back, breaking three tackles en route to the end zone. By halftime, Wiggins had rushed for 121 yards.

Oceanside improved its lead to 14-7 on a nine-yard run off left tackle by Sai Niu with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.

La Jolla answered by turning to its 6-foot 3-inch 200-pound tailback Brad Matthews, who carried six times on the Vikings’ eight-play, 89-yard, including a 24-yard scoring run up the middle with 1:02 remaining in the first quarter.

Matthews also had a 41-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished the night with 131 yards.

But Matthews also gave some of it back as he fumbled on La Jolla’s next two possessions, setting up Oceanside scores.

His first turnover at the La Jolla 25 set up a 13-yard touchdown pass from Rocky Aukuso to Junior Seau. Then, midway through the second quarter, Matthews again fumbled, and Seau recovered at the La Jolla 20. Four plays later, Aukuso hit Seau on a five-yard scoring pass to give Oceanside a 27-14 lead.

La Jolla scored just before the half on a 71-yard touchdown pass from John Tribolet to Brad Raulston, who made the reception at the left sideline and broke two tackles on his way to the score.