Emotion, Punt Blocks Carry Oilers : Prep football: Huntington Beach rolls past Corona del Mar, 28-0, in season opener.

Huntington Beach High School’s football team never lacked for emotion in its 28-0 season-opening victory over Corona del Mar Friday night.

A crowd of 2,000 at Orange Coast College watched Huntington Beach block and tackle better than Corona del Mar. The Oilers also ran and passed more successfully. And they even looked better running through the paper banners the cheerleaders held at the beginning of the game.

The Oilers’ emotion carried them to their first victory in more than a season. Huntington Beach had an 8-2 record last season on the field, but lost a bitter fight in the courts.

Sunset League principals ruled that the Oilers had to forfeit all eight victories, a share of the league championship and a berth in the playoffs last season for using an ineligible player in all 10 games.

Huntington Beach was granted an injunction against the ruling, putting the team back into the playoffs. But two days later, the injunction was overturned and the Oilers were out of the playoffs once again.

“We wanted this game real bad,” said James Marietti, a Huntington Beach running back/defensive back.

It showed.

The Oilers sputtered early, perhaps trying a little too hard. But by halftime, Huntington Beach had the game won.

Marietti blocked two punts by Matt Evans, Corona del Mar’s sophomore punter, in the second quarter.

The first was scooped up at the Sea Kings’ 14-yard line by Gabe Houston, who returned it to the two. Houston then ran two yards for the Oilers’ first touchdown.

The Oilers scored again on their next possession--a 54-yard pass play from Mike Chavira, one of two quarterbacks who played for Huntington Beach, to Joe Contreras.

Marietti blocked Evans’ punt on the Sea Kings’ next series, returning it for a 27-yard touchdown on the final play of the half.

“We’ve never had one punt blocked since I’ve been coaching here,” said Dave Holland, in his 17th season as Corona del Mar coach. “Tonight we had two.”

Huntington Beach added an 18-yard touchdown pass from Chavira to Gabe Stupin with 6 minutes 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

Corona del Mar came close to scoring only in the waning minutes, but its drive stalled at the Huntington Beach two with two second left.

Until that final drive, the Sea Kings had 36 yards passing. And until that final drive, the biggest gain for the Sea King was a 12-yard pass from quarterback Todd Kehrli to running back Jason Hughes.

Huntington Beach’s defense also stopped Corona del Mar’s rushing game. The Sea Kings had six yards on the ground.

The Oilers passed for 165 yards and ran for 157.