San Pasqual Stages Rally to Top Knights

For the second time in four weeks, San Marcos Coach Ken Broach found himself shaking his head at his team’s inability to hold a halftime lead to San Pasqual.

The reasons for the collapse were the same as they were a month ago--turnovers. San Pasqual took advantage of four San Marcos turnovers to beat the Knights 28-24 and advance into Friday night’s San Diego Section 2-A semifinals against La Jolla.

San Marcos (8-4) led 17-7 at halftime, but three second-half turnovers turned into 21 points for San Pasqual. The Knights had an 18-0 lead against San Pasqual (8-4) last month before losing, 20-18.

“There’s nothing you can do about it,” Broach said. “They just happen. They’re 17-, 18-year old kids. What can you do?”

But even with all the turnovers, San Marcos had an opportunity to win in the fourth quarter. But San Marcos fullback Mark Frazier, who ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns, was stuffed on a dive play by San Pasqual’s defense on a fourth and three at the San Pasqual 31 with 6:20 remaining.

“I don’t know if we should have run that play,” Frazier said. “They were waiting for it and they slid right into the hole. But that’s the coaches decision.”

San Marcos got the ball back after a Daryle Hawkins fumble with 1:20 left, but quarterback Chaise Bivin’s pass was intercepted by David Villa.

San Pasqual turned over the ball three times on fumbles, but the Eagles made the big plays in the second half after trailing 17-7 at halftime.

San Pasqual’s Jamon Buggs scored from 44 yards to cut San Marcos’ lead to 17-14. Geddes’ 10-yard run on an option made it 21-17 with 3:41 left in the third quarter.

Frazier’s 37-yard run put San Marcos ahead 24-21 with 1:23 left in the third.

But on its next possession, San Pasqual scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 17-yard Buggs run.

Geddes ran for 93 yards in 11 carries and Buggs had 91 yards in 11 rushes.

“We knew if we could hold onto the ball in the second half we could win,” Geddes said. “We knew they couldn’t stop us.”

Said San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan: “We told the kids we’ve been in this position before against this team. Let’s do the same thing we did last time.”