Pacifica Edges Fullerton, 24-20; Tustin Is Next

Quarterback Chris Castellano connected with wide receiver Scott Lesser on a five-yard pass play with 6 minutes 59 seconds remaining to give Pacifica High School a 24-20 victory over Fullerton in a Division VI first-round playoff game Friday night.

Pacifica (8-3) advances to a second-round game next weekend against Tustin.

Pacifica took a 2-0 lead on a safety when Fullerton’s David Chacon fielded a punt at his own one-yard line and tried to escape the Mariner coverage by running around the end zone, only to be met by Pacifica’s Kevin Harbour.

But Fullerton (8-3) responded with two touchdowns, taking a 14-2 lead.

The Indians scored on a nine-yard run by David Chacon and on a one-yard bootleg by his twin brother, quarterback Daniel Chacon.

David Chacon set up the second Fullerton touchdown by intercepting a Castellano pass at the Fullerton 35-yard line and returning it 51 yards.

But Pacifica closed the gap to 14-9 on a one-yard keeper by Castellano with 39 seconds left in the half. That touchdown came aftera pass interference and a personal foul call against David Chacon, who was playing safety, on a pass intended for Lesser. The penalties gave Pacifica a first-and-10 at the Fullerton 14.

Fullerton continued the see-saw battle with a three-yard touchdown run by D.C. Olsen in the third quarter, but Pacifica mounted its final, decisive comeback.

Pacifica’s Derek Nicholson, who had 66 yards in 17 carries, scored from two yards out, and Castellano hit Chris Maroney on the two-point conversion to cut Fullerton’s lead to 20-17.

Four minutes later, Castellano connected with Lesser for the winning touchdown.

Castellano completed 14 of 20 passes for 138 yards, but was intercepted three times.

Daniel Chacon was 12 of 24 for 167 yards.