ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Sophomore Rallies Pacifica to a 7-7 Tie With Millikan

Bobby Anderson barely had time to sleep on the announcement. If he was able to get any sleep at all.

Anderson, who is just a sophomore, was to be an apprentice to senior Shelby Hart as Pacifica High School’s starting quarterback. But a day after Hart suffered a knee injury in Tuesday’s practice, Anderson was told he would be the Mariners’ starting quarterback.

“He didn’t know until (Wednesday) night he was going to be our quarterback,” said Mariner Coach Bill Craven after watching Anderson rally Pacifica to a 7-7 tie with Long Beach Millikan Thursday night.

“He did a great job. He’s going to be the first guy I see when I go in (the locker room).”

Anderson did it with the coolness of a veteran. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game at Bolsa Grande High School and his team trailing by seven points, Anderson threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Charlie Powers to help the Mariners tie Millikan.

The touchdown pass, following a fumble by Millikan’s Monte Boulware, crowned a stellar night in which Anderson completed 5 of 11 passes for 162 yards.

Millikan took advantage of a miscue--recovering a bad Pacifica snap on the Mariners’ 25-yard line--to take a second-period lead. After a holding penalty moved Millikan back 10 yards, quarterback Bob Crane hit James Allison with a 35-yard touchdown pass.

Pacifica was able to move the ball into scoring position after tying the score but came away empty-handed. Oscar Ravelo, who rambled for 104 yards on 18 carries, missed four field goals, including a 38-yarder on the game’s last play.