San Diego High School Player of the Week : If San Pasqual Expected Worst, It Got the Reverse

It was a big enough surprise to everyone, including Coach Mike Dolan, that San Pasqual High School beat Lincoln Saturday night in a San Diego Section 2-A semifinal football game.

But perhaps an even bigger surprise was that receiver Chris Nottoli played such a big role in the victory against a school that has won seven San Diego Section titles.

San Pasqual, usually a ball-control team, hadn’t thrown much to Nottoli this season. And it wasn’t expected to try against Lincoln’s quick defense.

But Nottoli, The Times’ player of the week, had his best performance Saturday, catching eight passes for 147 yards from quarterback Andy Loveland. He also scored one touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion in San Pasqual’s 28-27 comeback victory.

“He is a well-kept secret, but not intentionally,” Dolan said. “It’s just that we normally are a ball-control offense and Chris understands that. Yet we have the capability to throw the ball well.”

The winning conversion--a reverse--was one instance when Lincoln found itself on the other end of a chase.

Nottoli convinced Dolan to try the reverse after the coach had called for a pass--to Nottoli.

“He actively seeks the ball,” Dolan said. “He has suggestions when we come off, and they are accurate ones. The ball (on the conversion attempt) was going to him anyway, but he said, ‘No, this will work better.’ That kind of maturity has been his biggest development.”

Nottoli had gained 44 yards on two earlier plays running the reverse, which San Pasqual calls the “Gangster Reverse.”

“They (Lincoln) knew we were going to run a pass play because we had been doing it all night,” Nottoli said. “I knew the reverse would be unexpected.”

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Nottoli’s run came when he stopped on the five-yard line with two Lincoln defenders in front of him and another closing in from the left side. After the abrupt stop, Nottoli plowed straight ahead before diving over nose guard Monte Smith into the end zone.

“I just saw this big guy coming at me,” Nottoli said. “I stopped and knew I had to dive in.”

Dolan credits Nottoli’s quick moves from playing soccer, where he was a first team all-Avocado League selection last season. He also is a sprinter in track and field; he finished second in the league meet last spring.

“He is the most gifted skill person we’ve had, especially at his position,” Dolan said. “And maybe the best player we’ve ever had.”

And after Saturday, Nottoli is no longer a secret.