THE BIG GAME / VISTA 21, MORSE 7 : Vista Overwhelms Morse, Ends Tigers’ 17-Game Streak

It all depends on which side of the fence you’re sitting, as evidenced by how differently the Morse and Vista football teams saw things Friday night at Vista High.

Third-ranked Vista handed top-ranked and nationally recognized Morse a 21-7 loss and had the Vista loyal echoing this refrain: Now who’s No. 1, baby .

But will the victory have an asterisk beside it?

Morse played without star quarterback Cary Taylor, thrusting the duty to junior Ray Narnes, a free safety who was not only playing in his first varsity game at quarterback but had scant experience during the week of practice.

Taylor was locked out of his home last weekend and a plate of glass crashed onto his throwing (right) arm, requiring 16 stitches.

Morse Coach John Shacklett said Taylor probably will be out another three weeks.

“I didn’t do a very good job of getting our kid ready,” Shacklett said of Narnes. “They’re a good defensive ballclub, but we couldn’t do everything we’d normally do against them.”

And normally, Morse (3-1) doesn’t get the brunt of the kind of defensive performance Vista (3-0) shoved in its face--and backfield--all night.

One Panther doing his share of damage against the Tigers was Jose Perez--the guy on the other side of the fence.

Perez, a senior free safety, scooped up a Morse fumble with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter, with Vista ahead 14-0 and returned it 35 yards for the touchdown that put the game out of reach.

“This was definitely my best game,” Perez said, who also put a couple big hits on Morse’s backs, including a quarterback sack for a loss of eight yards.

On the fumble recovery, Perez said there was no doubt he would score. “All I wanted to do was score,” he said. “I knew that we had to play tough the rest of the game. With two minutes left, we didn’t let down because we know they have the speed and talent to come back.”

But Perez wasn’t so sure Cary Taylor’s idleness was as big a deal as it was to everyone else.

“I don’t think he would have made that much difference at all,” Perez said.

Before kickoff, Narnes fidgeted and kept to himself, while Taylor shot him an occasional comforting word and a pat on the back for support.

But Vista Coach Dick Haines, while acknowledging Taylor’s absence, said the Panthers beat them fair and square.

“We’ve got someone out, too (receiver Aaron Rounsider). You have to play with what you have, and we beat Morse High School,” Haines said. “Our defense came up with some great plays and our coordinators were making calls that kept them on the ground as much as we could.”

Vista went up 7-0 at 5:03 in the first, on a six-yard pass from Eric Jencks to Kenny Edwards.

Jencks finished the night five for 12 for 57 yards and one touchdown. Edwards also rushed 12 times for 53 yards.

Dante White swept right one yard with 34 seconds left in the half to put Vista up 14-0.

Morse still had the big backfield in motion. Gary Taylor rushed 24 times for 138 yards and Conan Smith rushed for 76 yards on 15 carries, including a two-yard run that put the Tigers on the scoreboard with 4:49 left.

At least Morse has the pressure of a 17-game winning streak off its back.

“In a way, it’s a relief,” Shacklett said. “The pressure’s off.”

And now it’s on Vista.