Second-Half Touchdowns Lift Vista, 14-0

San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan must be a pretty good football coach. Either that or he’s one of the luckiest. Certainly, he’s one of the happiest.

Saturday night at Vista High, his football team defeated El Camino, 14-0, in the semifinals of the 2-A Section playoffs.

Two second-half touchdowns by two of San Pasqual’s big offensive threats gave the Eagles their second victory of the season over El Camino. San Pasqual will be making its second consecutive trip to San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium for the San Diego Section 2-A final against Rancho Bueno Vista.

After a scoreless first half, San Pasqual quarterback Andy Loveland and fullback Tony Medina made touchdown runs of 5 and 2 yards in the second half.

And the Eagle defense did a superb job of shutting down El Camino, especially in the second half. For 22 minutes of the second half San Pasqual allowed El Camino just 9 yards of offense. El Camino gained 39 yards on a late drive at the end of the game.

‘We just had something to prove tonight,” said San Pasqual linebacker Jeremy Just, who intercepted a pass that led to San Pasqual’s second touchdown. “The last time we played them, their coach was quoted as saying that we had a mediocre defense. We didn’t look so mediocre tonight.”

Said Dolan, “We graduated nine defensive starters and five offensive starters from last year and here we are back in the stadium. Not bad for a mediocre defensive team.”

After stopping El Camino on 3 plays to start the second half, San Pasqual got the ball on its own 25. Fifteen plays and 10 minutes later, Loveland was romping in from the 5 on a quarterback option keep around right end.

The play came on fourth and 4. Loveland faked the pitch to Jim Clayton, cut upfield, high-stepped a fallen Wildcat defender and scampered into the end zone. The extra-point snap sailed over the holder’s head and San Pasqual led, 6-0, with 1:56 left in the third quarter.

Medina’s 2-yard run was a simple off tackle play he had pounded defenses with all year. For the two-point conversion, same play.

San Pasqual was denied a third touchdown with 2:04 remaining when it was stopped at the 6.

“Last time we played El Camino we didn’t run the option so well,” said Loveland. “Tonight we did.”

The scoreless first half was riddled with mistakes by both teams.

Each team had four possessions in the first 24 minutes. Each team had three fumbles--two of which were lost--one punt and two scoring opportunities squandered.