THE BIG GAME / VISTA 20, TORREY PINES 3 : Vista Hands Haines His 12th League Title

When it comes to tradition, Vista High has it all over Torrey Pines. And when it came to Friday night’s Palomar League championship game, Vista also had it all over the previously unbeaten Falcons.

The top-ranked Panthers’ 20-3 victory at home in front of 6,000 gave Coach Dick Haines his 12th league title since 1970. After an 0-10 season in 1988, mostly the result of the formation of Rancho Buena Vista, the Panthers ended the regular season 10-0 ,7-0 in league, just as they did in 1985, the year the Panthers last won a San Diego Section Championship.

Vista, always a strong running team, has the passing of Eric Jencks, which gives the Panthers an added dimension. Jencks completed nine of 11 passes for 84 yards.

“I think they’re more dangerous than some of those earlier teams,” said Torrey Pines Coach Ed Burke.

Vista’s Chato Jackson rushed 26 times for 106 yards and three touchdowns, and Dante White carried seven times for 75 yards. The Panthers outgained Torrey Pines, 267 to 138.

The victory gave Vista its 15th victory in the past 16 games and ended an improbable run at the league title by Torrey Pines (8-2, 6-1), projected at the beginning of the season to finish fifth. It was Torrey Pines’ first winning season since 1984.

Although Torrey Pines entered the game having allowed a county-low 6.1 points per game, Vista scored on its first two possessions.

The first was set up by a bad snap on Torrey Pines’ punt five minutes into the game; it netted minus 10 yards. White rushed 21 yards and three different runners carried the ball--and Jencks passed seven yards to Morgan Knox--before Jackson scored from five yards on his first carry of the game, his 21st touchdown of the season.

A couple of penalties and a 21-yard pass from Tom Luginbill to Josh Stern set up Ryan Lynch’s 23-yard field goal in the final a minute of the first quarter to make it 7-3.

Jackson capped a 79-yard drive in with 8:23 left in the second quarter with a one-yard run, but the big play was White’s 37-yard run to ge the ball to the one. Pon Manithip added his second extra point.

Jackson scored from the one again with 6:47 left in the fourth quarter, capping a 77-yard drive.

Torrey Pines had a goal-line stand at the end of the first half that could have turned its fortunes. Vista failed to score on a first-and-goal from the four, and failed three times to score from the one, attempting two passes (one ending in a Jamie Sommercamp’s sack).

Torrey Pines got to the Vista eight on its first possession of the third quarter and had to settle for a field goal attempt, which was blocked by Nestor Mangohig.

“Events went our way early in the second half, but we just couldn’t connect on offense,” Burke said. “Their defense created problems for us and we didn’t handle it real well.”