THE BIG GAME / VISTA 21, ORANGE GLEN 14 : Mangohig, Jackson Lead Vista to Victory

Nestor Mangohig will probably have a new nickname today: “Bookend.”

Mangohig, a defensive back for top-ranked Vista, ended Friday’s 21-14 Palomar League victory over second-ranked Orange Glen (0-1, 3-1) the same way he began it, with an interception. Although the second wasn’t as big as the first, they collectively sealed the coffin of the Patriots in the battle of unbeatens.

On Orange Glen’s first play from scrimmage, Mangohig stepped in front of a pass intended for Kris Plash, then ran 44 yards untouched to the end zone.

“We said we couldn’t turn the ball over,” Orange Glen Coach Rob Gilster said. “Maybe we could get away with one. The defense stopped (Vista) on three plays and our first play is picked for six.”

An extra point made it seven, and that was the difference in the ballgame for Vista (4-0, 1-0).

Mangohig’s final interception came with 13 seconds remaining, when he stepped in front of Omar Navarro’s fourth-down pass at the Vista 35.

Although the first half belonged to the defenses, the second half belonged to Chato Jackson, who rushed 17 times for 129 yards. Jackson had 22 carries for 176 yards on the night.

Jackson rushed for two one-yard touchdowns on Vista’s first two drives of the half.

Jackson carried seven times for all 51 yards in the opening scoring drive to give Orange Glen a 14-7 lead, and he capped an 85-yard drive that gave Vista a 21-7 lead with 11:17 left in the fourth period. In that drive, he gained 69 yards on seven carries.

Jackson, who doubles as a linebacker, said he had never felt more dominating than he did in the second half.

Orange Glen tied the game with 7:23 left in the game. Navarro passed 11 yards to Plash, capping a 78-yard drive that took nine plays and 3:43 off the clock.

Orange Glen got two more drives in the fourth quarter, but the first one stalled at midfield when an 11-yard pass completion was two yards short, and the other drive ended with Mangohig’s second interception.

Orange Glen scored when quarterback Navarro ran a quarterback draw 11 yards with 3:05 left in the half. The big play of the 78-yard, five-play drive was Kris Plash’s 52-yard pass to Earl Callendar. That tied the game at 7-all going into halftime.

After Mangohig’s interception, the Vista defense came up with another big play later in the first quarter. While Orange Glen kicker Aaron Blake was set to convert a 35-yard field goal, Jackson broke through the offensive line and Blake pulled his attempt.

Orange Glen’s defense answered at the end of the next series. Jackson burst through the middle for 21 yards on the first play as Vista moved from its 20 to the OG 13. There, Eric Jencks passed to Jeremy McCullough in the back of the end zone, but the pass was tipped in the air by Bryce Ashcraft and intercepted by Shonta Chaloux.

In the final minute of the half, Navarro fumbled at the Orange Glen 31, but the Patriot defense held, forcing Pon Manithip to attempt a 40-yard field goal. It was wide by three feet.

Navarro surpassed Chadde Wolfe with his first completion and moved into ninth all-time in the San Diego Section for career passing leaders. Navarro completed 19 of 33 passes for 178 yards, giving him 3,599 yards.

Plash needed six receptions to be become the school’s all-time leader. He got 11, giving him 135, fifth in section history.