3-A BIG GAME : Rowlett, Mira Mesa Grind Out 15-6 Victory

Mira Mesa’s J.J. Rowlett was a quarterback doing all the things it took to win.

Mt. Carmel’s Larry Lehman was a quarterback doing all the things it took not to lose.

Admirable efforts both, but Rowlett did enough to lead Mira Mesa to a 15-6 first-round San Diego Section 3-A playoff victory at Mt. Carmel High School and advance the Marauders (8-3) to the second round next weekend against Chula Vista.

It was a slug-it-out game of football that was a defensive struggle in the first half, turned into a Mt. Carmel ball-control marathon in the third quarter and finished with a bang when Rowlett turned in a couple of impressive fourth-quarter plays.

With Mira Mesa trailing, 6-2, as the fourth quarter opened, Rowlett scored on a 29-yard run with 7:20 to play to put his team ahead, then set up Wayne Pittman’s one-yard clincher with 2:28 left by passing 30 yards to Mike Tompkins.

Rowlett spent most of the night looking downfield, either with his arm cocked or his head down. He completed five of eight passes for 99 yards, and he carried the ball 11 times for 49 yards.

Lehman, on the other hand, spent the evening handing off to Jeff Scott (21 carries for 80 yards and one touchdown) and throwing short flares. He also completed 16 of 24 passes for 119 yards. All but one of his completions were for less than 10 yards each.

But that’s what Mt. Carmel Coach Bill Christopher wanted because Lehman, normally a flanker, was making his first varsity start at quarterback. Matt Miller tore up a knee two weeks ago to throw a wrench into the Mt. Carmel offensive plans.

Outside of two fourth quarter interceptions, Lehman played well--particularly during a third quarter drive which resulted in Mt. Carmel’s only touchdown. The Sundevils moved 82 yards in 17 plays to open the third quarter, consuming 7:48. In all, Mira Mesa had the ball for only 3:03 during the quarter.

But Mira Mesa was able to come back, thanks in large part to Rowlett, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior.

“The kid is a heck of an athlete,” Mira Mesa Coach Bill Griffith said. “He’s a Division I football player.”

Appropriately, the only score in the first half was by the Mira Mesa defense, which forced a safety with 2:31 remaining in the second quarter.

On fourth and eight from the Mt. Carmel 22, Sundevil punter Mike Graves was forced to scoop a snap off the ground. He fielded it cleanly but, by the time he looked up, several Mira Mesa defenders were moving through the line. Graves took off, but he was caught in the end zone by linebacker Nigel Allen and defensive back Frankie Edsall.

The 2-0 halftime score wasn’t surprising, because this game shaped up as a defensive battle from the start. Mt. Carmel, led by its defensive line of Derrick Roth, Mike Estanol, Brian Berry, Anthony Salvanera and Shawn Adams, held Mira Mesa to zero first downs in the first quarter and to just three for the first half. Mira Mesa got off just 10 offensive plays in the first quarter, two of which were punts.

But the Mira Mesa defense was up to the challenge. Mt. Carmel managed just four first downs in the first half and punted on three of five possessions.