ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Pacifica Makes Most of Mistakes : Cheatham Is Limited to One Score in 39-22 Rancho Alamitos Loss

Pacifica High School made the most of its opportunities Thursday night, and Rancho Alamitos provided plenty.

In a four-minute period at the end of the first half and the start of the third quarter, the Mariners turned the Garden Grove League game into a rout. They scored 18 points during that span and went on to win, 39-22, in front of 1,500 at Bolsa Grande High School.

The Vaqueros (5-2 overall, 2-2 in league) took an 8-7 lead with 4:52 remaining in the first half on a touchdown pass from Rodney McCall to Jason Sweet, which covered 56 yards, and Tom Togia’s conversion run. However, shortly thereafter, they committed the first of several mistakes.

Two illegal procedure penalties against the Vaqueros on the kickoff, followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct call, gave the Mariners the ball at the Rancho Alamitos 42-yard line. Five plays later, Oscar Ravelo kicked a 44-yard field goal to put Pacifica (4-2-1, 3-1) ahead, 10-8.

Bill Bradley recovered a Sean Cheatham fumble on Rancho Alamitos’ next possession, giving Pacifica the ball at the Vaquero 27. It was one of four Rancho Alamitos turnovers.

After an incomplete pass, Shelby Hart threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Powers. Ravelo’s two-point conversion gave Pacifica an 18-8 halftime lead.

Powers appeared to make contact with defensive back Baron Lizares before catching the pass, but the officials made no call.

“That was a terrible call,” Rancho Alamitos Coach Mark Miller said. “He pushed off and then caught the ball. It was brutal. The momentum swung back to Pacifica after that play.”

If it didn’t then, it certainly did after Greg White returned the second half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to give the Mariners a 25-8 lead.

Rancho Alamitos closed the gap to 25-14 with an 11-play, 70-yard drive. Cheatham, who rushed for 156 yards in 33 carries, scored the touchdown on a two-yard run.

It was Cheatham’s only points of the game after having averaged 23.7 points in his previous six games.

Ravelo returned an interception 30 yards for a score to give the Mariners a 32-14 lead with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

“We were able to take Cheatham out of the game early. We had to in order to win,” Pacifica Coach Bill Craven said. “But you take away that kickoff and interception returns and it’s a close game.”