HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Sears Scores Two Touchdowns to Spark Vista Past Carlsbad

Seventh-ranked Vista last year relied on its strong defense and an offense that provided enough scoring to reel off 13 consecutive victories before coming up short in the San Diego Section Division 3-A championship against Point Loma.

The Panthers returned to form Friday night at Carlsbad, scoring a 12-7 victory over the Lancers with a big defensive effort, a big play and enough scoring to get the job done in the season-opener for both teams.

Dan Sears scored his second touchdown of the game with eight minutes left to provide Vista with the victory.

The game-winning touchdown was set up by a defensive effort that overcome an offensive shortcoming in the fourth quarter.

While Vista was driving toward the end zone, Carlsbad forced a Panther fumble at the 20, but a personal foul gave the Lancers possession at the 10. Vista’s defense held, and then Neil Otineru blocked a fumbled punt attempt and recovered the ball at the two-yard line. From there, Sears found his way into the end zone and the Panthers found themselves in the win column.

Sears’ first touchdown came with three minutes left in the first half, but the extra-point attempt failed and Carlsbad retained its lead.

Carlsbad scored first on Shane Cartwright’s first quarter four-yard run. Matt Olney led its offense, rushing 13 times for 69 yards. Defensively, Carlsbad’s Tafi Muaga had nine tackles, including a sack, and five assists.

Otineru spearheaded a Vista defensive effort that limited Carlsbad to 107 yards and sacked quarterback Scott Garcia seven times for 56 yards in losses, erasing the 56 yards he passed for with five completions in eight attempts.

In other nonleague games:

Montgomery 41, Crawford 0--Senior Chris Weaver was effective as a wide receiver last year, but proved equally adept as a quarterback this season. He also plays defensive back, rarely leaving the field. Against Crawford, Weaver, rushed 25 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown, passed for 50, including a 22-yard touchdown pass, intercepted two passes, blocked a punt and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown and recovered a fumble.

Jerry Edmonds rushed six times for 69 yards and Chris Baladad ran 12 times for 44 yards and both ran for scores. Montgomery had 279 yards in offense to 177 for Crawford.

Mt. Carmel 20, Oceanside 10--Marlon Carey rushed for only 16 yads on 23 carries, but he had two short touchdowns runs in the fourth quarter. Nose guard Corey Crouch and linebacker Ken Pohl had 10 tackles each for Mt. Carmel. Oceanside quarterback John Portugal completed 17 of 35 passes for 111 yards and an interception. He also ran 12 times for 49 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown run.

Helix 26, Patrick Henry 7--The Highlanders took advantage of a bumbling and fumbling Patrick Henry team for a nonleague win in front of the home crowd.

The first two Helix touchdowns came on fumble returns in the first quarter.

Helix running back Teneil Ethridge, who returned a fumble earlier, scored his second touchdown of the night with a 21-yard run in the second quarter.

Helix (1-0) led 26-0 at halftime, but missed the shutout when Eric Willis of Patrick Henry scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

San Diego 15, Clairemont 0--Parnell Burgen scored on a 21-yard run and Pablo Ornelas hit field-goal kicks of 28 and 33 yards for the Cavers. San Diego’s defense, which had four shutouts last year, also recorded a safety.

Mission Bay 20, El Cajon Valley 0--Mission Bay had to go with backup quarterback Shane Stroberg because starter Steve Vincent came down with food poisoning. Stroberg responded by completing five of 11 passes for 54 yards and one touchdown.

The Buccaneers held El Cajon Valley to only two first downs and 38 yards total offense. The defensive effort was capped by a 45-yard interception touchdown return by Cory Young.

Mar Vista 6, Coronado 0--Troy Wilson scored on a one-yard run up the middle with 5:58 left in the third quarter, but the kick was blocked. Mar Vista had scant offense, with 0-for-8 passing and 60 yards rushing on 39 carries. Coronado’s Sean Sadler rushed 12 times for 48 yards.

St. Augustine 29, Ramona 0--Quarterback Aaron Buckner completed 15 of 26 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. He was also intercepted twice. Troy Gorostiza was on the receiving end for seven catches and 75 yards and a touchdown.

Bonita Vista 14, Mt. Miguel 7--Carl Parrick, who spent the last 11 years as Southwest’s coach, won his opener at Bonita Vista. Mt. Miguel was held to 64 yards of offense, 61 coming on the ground. Scott Field’s interception and Jim Stuckey’s 36-yard reception led to Brian Melancon’s tie-breaking two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Melancon rushed for 105 yards on 19 carries and Eric Turner had 93 yards on 12 rushes. Mt. Miguel scored when Bonita Vista’s punter fumbled a snap and gave Mt. Miguel a first down on Bonita Vista’s 13.

San Pasqual 7, Poway 0--In a complete turnaround from its last game, where La Jolla scored 50 points off San Pasqual in the San Diego Section 2-A semifinal, San Pasqual opened with a shutout and held Poway to 53 yards total offense.

Two backs had 100 yards games for the Eagles: Jamon Buggs (131 yards on 21 carries) and DeSale Wallace (103 yards on 18 carries). Buggs scored in the first quarter on a two-yard run. San Pasqual’s Albert Castillo and Dave Villa had an interception each. Villa returned his 49 yards to the Poway 10, but a penalty stifled the effort. The Eagles had four sacks.

Chula Vista 7, San Marcos 7--Johnny Robinson scored on a 37-yard pass play from Joe Zender to put Chula Vista on the board in the third quarter. San Marcos countered with 8:38 left in the game when Dan Anderson scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Chula Vista could advance no further than its own 38 before time expired.

Mira Mesa 24, Granite Hills 15--Mike Nelson was six for 11 passing for 141 yards and two touchdown passes, of 31 yards to Charles Claybrook and 44 yards to Josh Quinn, lifting Mira Mesa. Mike Pittman, who scored on a three-yard run, rushed 15 times for 105 yards, and Quinn added a 20-yard field goal.

Fallbrook 35, Temecula Valley 14--Fallbrook quarterback John Dutton completed 13 of 28 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns and Tim Pearson ran eight times for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Tommy Hoff caught one of Dutton’s touchdown passes and had a 30-yard touchdown run. Jordy Camp caught four passes for 69 yards.

Southwest 21, Pasadena Blair 14--Quarterback O’Bryan Woods completed nine of 20 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown, a 60-yarder to Tony Diaz. Diaz finished with five catches and 147 yards. Also for Southwest, Danny Lim rushed 19 times for 89 yards.

City Central League

Serra 6, Madison 0--Running back Duane Vincent fell on a loose ball in the end zone after a poor exchange from the quarterback to provide the game’s only touchdown in the first quarter. Serra sacked Madison quarterbacks 12 times. Defensive end Eddie Hinton had seven tackles and four sacks, tackle Gabe Ayala had six tackles and three sacks and linebacker Milo Rodriquez five tackles and two sacks. Javier Morgan led Serra’s offense with 55 yards in eight carries and 17 yards in two pass receptions.

Eight-man

Julian 56, St. Margaret’s 26--Frankie Stewart led the way with 183 yards of total offense. The Julian back ran for 94 yards and one touchdown on seven carries, and scored another touchdown and gained 89 yards on seven receptions.

Defensively for Julian, Cody Young had 16 tackles, and Jason Glass and Louie Linton recovered fumbles in the end zone for safeties.