THE BIG GAME / EL CAMINO 30, SAN MARCOS 6 : Wildcats Dominate, Earn Avocado Title

The San Marcos Knights knew they would have to strike early against the El Camino Wildcats.

Unfortunately for the Knights, they missed an opportunity in the first quarter and never saw another chance.

After a crucial penalty cost San Marcos a touchdown on its opening drive, El Camino ran away from the Knights, 30-6, for its third consecutive Avocado League title Friday night.

The Knights, who dominated the line of scrimmage and held the ball for the game’s first eight minutes, lost all their momentum on one play. With third and goal on the El Camino five, San Marcos was called for illegal motion--nullifying fullback Mark Frazier’s touchdown.

From there, El Camino (8-1, 6-0) scored the next four times it had the ball--taking a 20-0 halftime lead.

After the key penalty, El Camino’s defense took over. On third and 10, El Camino linebacker Daniel Esposito dropped San Marcos halfback Cesar Morales for a one-yard loss. San Marcos kicker Brian Hudson’s field-goal attempt was blocked--it never really had a chance after a high snap disturbed his rhythm.

El Camino then drove 75 yards for Noel Prefontaine’s 31-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 11:21 left in the first half.

“That first drive was real critical for us,” San Marcos Coach Ken Broach said. “It would have been nice to score first, but it didn’t work out.”

Said El Camino Coach Herb Meyer: “I thought they’d probably go down and score and we’d have to come from behind.”

San Marcos (6-3, 4-2) had a chance to recover when El Camino’s Mike Flanagan fumbled a punt on his own 40. But San Marcos quarterback Chaise Bivin fumbled on the next play, returning the favor.

Three plays after Bivin’s fumble, wingback Bryant Westbrook raced 68 yards untouched around left end to make it 10-0 with 5:41 remaining.

“Teams key on that play, but nobody can ever stop it,” Prefontaine said.

The Wildcats struck quickly on their next possession--scoring on an option play. Quarterback Prefontaine was 15 yards into the San Marcos secondary before the Knights’ defense knew he had the ball. From there he cut back across the field and scored untouched.

Prefontaine’s 35-yard field goal with :23 left in the half made it 20-0.

San Marcos trimmed the lead to 20-6 when Frazier (139 yards on 22 carries) scored on a one-yard run with 3:17 left in the third quarter. But El Camino clinched the game on fullback Elias Noa’s 17-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Prefontaine kicked a 26-yard field goal, his third of the night, to finish the scoring.

Prefontaine rushed for 100 yards on six carries.