Santa Ana’s About-Face Results in Sunset Title

The comeback was completed Thursday night when Santa Ana defeated Marina, 21-7. The victory gave the Saints, who started the season 0-5, at least a share of the Sunset League championship.

Running back Kevin Pola rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns to lead Santa Ana (5-5, 5-1 in league). Huntington Beach (6-3, 4-1) can tie the Saints when it plays host to Edison (5-4, 3-2) tonight.

You can bet Marina (6-4, 4-2) will be watching tonight’s game closely with third place and the final berth in the Division I playoffs on the line.

“We could have taken care of things ourselves with a win tonight, but Santa Ana kicked our butts,” Marina Coach Dave Thompson said. “They deserve the league championship, I’ve always thought that they were the best team in the league.”

Santa Ana got out of the gate quickly, driving 80 yards in six plays with Pola gaining 63 yards. Marina defensive coordinator Larry Doyle had boasted before kickoff that he had figured out a way to stop Pola, but the strategy backfired on the opening drive.

Marina never got untracked offensively as quarterback Chris Della Croce had a forgettable evening. Della Croce completed only two of 14 passes and had two passes intercepted. He also threw a pitchout right into the hands of Santa Ana defender Sal Gomez, who turned the gift into a 26-yard touchdown run.

Pola scored on touchdown runs of 19 and one yards and all but wrapped up the most valuable player award in the league with another impressive performance.

“The lowest point in the season was the loss at Westminster,” Pola said. “I felt no one in the Sunset League could beat us, and then we lost our first league game. The team got smaller and smaller during the losing streak with guys quitting, but the guys who stuck with it deserve this title.”

The victory also marked another milestone in Dick Hill’s coaching career. Earlier this season, the Santa Ana coach surpassed former Loara Coach Herb Hill as the county’s winningest football coach.

On Thursday night, Hill became the only county coach to win league football titles in five decades beginning with Downey in the 1950s and continuing with Santa Ana in the ‘90s.

“This team has come a long ways since the beginning of the season and I’m very proud of the players,” Hill said. “Kevin Pola and Armando Gonzales are two great high school players. Neither one of them ever came off the field and they’re playing two very difficult positions (running back and linebacker).”