ORANGE COUNTY PREP SATURDAY : Ill-Timed Servite Gains Tie : Penalties Offset Scoring Chances Against Colton

Servite High School’s offense failed to come alive until the fourth quarter and a mediocre performance nearly cost the Friars Friday night at Colton.

For three quarters, Servite wasted scoring opportunities and productive pass plays as the Friars were repeatedly penalized for illegal procedure or motion penalties.

In the end, Servite was fortunate to gain a 14-14 tie with Colton in its season opener in front of 4,200 fans.

The Friars came into the game with great expectations. Quarterback Jason Frank had been listed in several publications as one of the top 50 quarterbacks in the nation. Running back Derek Brown figured to be one of the best junior running backs in Southern California.

Linebacker Mike Petko was named by one publication a preseason All-American. Kicker Paul Blottiaux had the kind of credentials that lead to a major university.

But all that talent was overshadowed by something as simple as timing as the Friars were penalized 12 times for 85 yards, including eight penalties for movement along the offensive line or in the backfield before the ball had been snapped.

Finally, out of desperation, Friar Coach Leo Hand ordered his team out of the run-and-shoot offense in the fourth quarter, trailing, 14-7. The Friars went to a three-back offense and the move seemed to spark the lifeless offense.

Brown, who had been held to minus 2 yards in 6 carries through three quarters, gained 70 yards in the final 11 minutes of play, including a 33-yard run with 9:14 remaining that tied the score, 14-14.

The Friars had a final opportunity to win the game, but Blottiaux’ 62-yard field goal attempt with 2:23 remaining barely cleared his blockers’ heads and fell far short of the end zone as Servite had to be content with a tie.

Considering the way the Friars played most of the night, a tie in this case was a moral victory. Consider:

- Frank was sporadic most of the evening, completing only 7 of 22 passes for 101 yards. He threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jason Rees for the first touchdown of the game, but most of the night he was off target.

- Blottiaux, who kicked a 59-yard field goal last season, missed four attempts. Granted, he was shooting from long range, trying 62, 58, 59 and 62-yard attempts, but he was never close.

- Petko & Co. had problems trying to solve Colton’s running game as the Yellowjackets piled up 186 yards rushing. Junior Johnny Atlas clearly outplayed Brown, gaining 77 yards in 19 carries and catching two passes for 35 yards.

Atlas’ 34-yard run for a touchdown with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter was the play of the game. He broke two tackles near the 15-yard line and somehow got into the end zone dragging a defender behind him.

“We knew Johnny had some talent, and he showed it tonight,” Robin Luken, Colton coach, said. “We would have won the game if our quarterback hadn’t gone after their All-American linebacker.”

Luken was refering to a 75-yard touchdown run by Atlas in the first quarter that was nullified when Colton quarterback Rich Gomez got caught giving Petko a late hit.

“We lost a touchdown and a game because Gomez went out looking for Petko,” Luken said. “That was a stupid mistake.”

Hand said the Friars worked on preventing mistakes all week, but they nearly self-destructed.

“If we get the mistakes corrected, we’ll be a good football team,” he said. “We worked very hard so that we wouldn’t make mistakes, but we did. I finally went to the three-back offense to avoid penalties.”

But by then, it was too late.