Prep Football : One Big Quarter Gives Mater Dei 31-14 Victory

Mater Dei’s Dan O’Neil had a decent first half against Huntington Beach Friday.

He attempted 9 passes, completed 5 for 97 yards and he threw for 3 touchdowns.

Goodby, ballgame.

O’Neil directed Mater Dei to a 31-point second quarter that sealed a 31-14 victory over the Oilers at Orange Coast College.

For his pains, he--and most of the first team--were given the second half off.

“We called off the dogs at the half,” Mater Dei Coach Chuck Gallo said. “I thought that was very neighborly of us.”

Huntington Beach (1-4) trailed, 14-0, late in the second quarter. But then Mike Ammann kicked a 53-yard field goal, the longest of his career, and the Monarchs (2-3) capitalized on two Oiler turnovers to score twice in the final minute of the first half.

An interception by Mike Kelly deep in Oiler territory set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from O’Neil to Kealii Clifford with 41 seconds remaining in the half. Seconds later, Huntington Beach fumbled at its 22 and Mater Dei recovered. On the final play of the half, Tony Pena pulled down O’Neil’s pass in the end zone, and Mater Dei led, 31-0, after the kick.

Clifford led the Mater Dei ground attack with 113 yards in the first half. He finished with 148 on 21 carries.

Still, Huntington Beach had its best offensive game of the season, scoring two touchdowns in a game for the first time.

“We did some good things offensively,” Huntington Beach Coach George Pasco said. “Take away the last minute or so of the first half, and we’re in the ballgame. . . . We played as well as we can against Mater Dei.”

Huntington Beach finally managed a touchdown with 1:34 left in the third quarter, but it took a little help from Mater Dei, which committed penalties that gave the Oilers first downs three times.

Two plays after getting a first-and-goal on the 7 on a pass interference call, Eric Pettinato hit Jeff Dunnagan with a 4-yard pass. The Oilers’ two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score 31-6.

Pettinato completed 5 consecutive passes on a fourth-quarter drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass to Mark Little. Pettinato connected with Shane Rodgers on the two-point conversion to close out the scoring.