Quarterback Isn’t Stopped by Rushing Car

As if being chased around and pounced on by 275-pound linemen isn’t enough fun for a 17-year-old quarterback, Oceanside’s John Portugal had the added pleasure Friday of being clipped by a car about an hour before the start of the Pirates’ game at Escondido.

Portugal wasn’t hurt.

The driver of the car--described by dozens of witnesses as a male in his early 20s--did not stick around.

The incident took place in the Escondido High parking lot as Oceanside players were making their way to the field.

According to Oceanside Coach John Carroll, Portugal was bent over talking to an Oceanside parent in another car when words and taunts were exchanged between some of the other Oceanside players and the mystery driver.

In haste, the driver backed up and struck Portugal in the back of the legs, temporarily pinning him between the two cars.

He then “layed rubber and got out of there in a hurry,” said Carroll, adding: “I only heard the bang, but according to the kids, the guy was well aware there was somebody behind him.”

Portugal did not appear to be himself early in the game, Carroll said, but he settled down later. He completed only one of his first eight passes before finishing 11-for-25 for 112 yards in a 13-6 loss.

“It would be hard for me not to attribute that (poor start) to what happened in the parking lot,” Carroll said. “That’s kind of getting taken out of your game before the game begins.”

Glover Lover: A T-shirt seen at Point Loma High had a picture of defensive end La’Roi Glover and the inscription: “Bo Don’t Know La’Roi.”

Trivia: On the field, which 2-A or 3-A football team has the best record over the past three seasons?

Memorable Moment: The subject came up Friday after No. 4 USDHS routed University City, 41-13, and improved to 7-0 heading into this week’s showdown against No. 5 La Jolla (7-0). Despite a 48-24 coaching record, Ron Hamamoto has won only one playoff game in his six-plus seasons at USDHS.

A reporter, however, reminded Hamamoto that his team nearly pulled off an incredible comeback over RBV in the 1988 playoffs only to have an apparent game-winning touchdown negated by an offensive pass interference penalty on the last play of the 40-36 game.

Hamamoto remembered.

“We’ve got that same referee for the La Jolla game,” he said.

AD Help: Anthony Davis, Castle Park’s much-touted running back, thought he broke his foot a few weeks back. He didn’t, but the misdiagnosis proved quite an elixir to Castle Park’s stagnant offense.

Worried about the foot, which was originally injured last year, Coach Alan Duke moved wide receiver Gene Hamilton to running back. Even though Davis has been able to play, Duke has kept Hamilton in the backfield and both backs have gained 100 yards or more the past two weeks.

Davis is among the county leaders with 947 yards in seven games. In three games at running back, Hamilton has gained 327 yards.

“One goes right, the other goes left,” Duke said. “Now all we have to do is find out how to throw the ball, too.”

No Pushovers: After winning 24 consecutive league games--third highest in section history--over three-plus seasons, Rancho Buena Vista has now dropped back-to-back league games for the first time since 1987, when it competed without a senior class.

RBV was 4-5-1 that first year and is 3-4 this year.

However, there should be some consolation in the fact RBV (3-4) has lost to four teams with a combined record of 23-5 by an average of seven points. The Longhorns lost to then-No. 1 Morse, 45-29, to open the season; Orange County’s top-ranked team Mission Viejo, 21-14, in Week 2; No. 1 Vista, 24-21, two weeks ago; and Torrey Pines, 9-7, last week.

They’re Back: The Morse Tigers entered Friday’s game against Patrick Henry as the second-leading scoring team in the county, averaging 33.2 points per game. They then proceeded to top that average in each half. The Morse portion of the linescore in its 70-7 rout read: 21, 14, 14, 21.

What’s more, it took Morse only 36 plays to score its 10 touchdowns, an average of almost two points per play. Patrick Henry ran 54 plays.

Another Line: Both La Jolla and Mira Mesa scored in every quarter of their 20-19 game Friday night. La Jolla won by getting two safeties, a field goal, two touchdowns and an extra-point. Mira Mesa spread out two field goals, two touchdowns and an extra-point.

Two for Four: La Jolla wasn’t the only team to record two safeties last week. Hoover lost to Christian, 6-4, getting a pair of two-pointers in the third quarter.

Trivia Answer: Kearny High is 27-4-1 (.844) on the field since the start of the 1989 season, best among the county’s 54 2-A and 3-A teams. El Camino and Morse are next at 29-6 (.829). However, Morse’s mark does not reflect a 1989 forfeit over Rancho Buena Vista.

Almost Prophetic: Former Lincoln standout Keith Mitchell, an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves made an unannounced visit to his alma mater while the Braves were in town to play the Padres on Sept. 19.

“He stopped by my third period class,” Lincoln Coach Vic Player said. “He and (Braves outfielder) Brian Hunter. It was great. All the kids recognized both of them right off the bat.

“He told us then, ‘We’re going to win it all.’ ”

Not quite.