Vista Still 0 for ’88 After Losing to Morse

Twelve.

That’s the number of games the 1985 Vista High School football team won to reach the 3-A championship game. Vista reached the pinnacle that night, beating Helix to cap a perfect season, winning the San Diego Section title and being named the California state champion.

In 1988, 12 represents the depths of Vista football. Or at least Vista Coach Dick Haines hopes this is as low as it goes.

No. 1-ranked Morse beat Haines’ Panthers, 13-0, Saturday night in a nonleague game at Vista. That’s three consecutive times that Vista has been shut out.

Twelve quarters.

“I tell you, I’d give anything for a big play or something,” Haines said. “But right now, it’s just not happening for us. We haven’t surrendered yet, though, I’ll tell you that.”

The Panther defense held Morse (3-1) to 143 yards in total offense and controlled quarterback Mike Liera, who completed one pass after halftime.

But Vista managed only 125 yards itself and had three drives stopped by fumbles.

More frustrating was an official’s call early in the fourth quarter that nullified Vista’s biggest play of the night.

With Vista trailing, 10-0, quarterback Mike Abbey faked a handoff to fullback Jose Castaneda and rolled right, breaking free down the sideline. But the officials thought Castaneda had the ball and blew the play dead.

Instead of having the ball deep in Morse territory, Vista had to replay the down from its own 35.

“That’s how frustrating it has become,” Haines said.

Vista’s scoreless streak reached 10 quarters by halftime despite the fact that its running attack, at times, looked like the one it has had in the past.

Fullback Jose Castaneda gained 38 tough yards up the middle, and quarterback Mike Abbey flashed around end on a couple of option plays to pick up 26 more.

On its second possession, Vista began on its own 21 and moved through Morse on a series of short, up-the-middle runs. Castaneda gained 17 and 8 yards on successive carries to give Vista a first down at the Morse 42.