THE BIG GAME / UNIVERSITY CITY 29, MISSION BAY 0 : Buccaneers Draw a Blank in Centurions’ Homecoming

University City’s fans got sunshine, blue skies and a perfect afternoon for their homecoming game Friday. And after the Centurions romped, 29-0, on previously unbeaten Mission Bay in the City Western League opener, the fans could celebrate a perfect season for yet another week.

But the game they saw was hardly perfect. It took the cliche “winning ugly” to a new level: winning hideously.

The game included seven turnovers, five by Mission Bay, and 16 penalties, 11 by University City. The two teams spent as much time marching backward as they did forward. The Centurions’ infractions totaled 99 yards and prevented them from further dismantling Mission Bay.

But if No. 10 UC (5-0) stumbled, Mission Bay (4-1) fell flat on its face.

Aided by a Centurion roughing-the-kicker call and an 18-yard run by Sunny Miller on the game’s opening possession, the Buccaneers drove to the UC 16-yard line and threatened to score--that would have halted what is a string of five shutout games by UC to start the 1992 season.

But after a one-yard run by Jeff Hornacek, quarterback Steve Vincent was sacked for a nine-yard loss by Ian Ferguson. Then Vincent threw passes into the end zone on third and fourth downs. Cornerback Greg Russell swatted both away.

Miller was open on the first pass, but the ball was thrown too soft.

“Sometimes it’s a game of inches,” Mission Bay Coach Jerry Surdy said. “If Sunny scores, it’s a different game.”

Instead, the first play of the fourth quarter was a good example of the kind of game it was. It included a sack, a fumble, a major penalty and an injury. After the mess was cleaned up, Buc reserve quarterback Shane Stroberg’s six-yard loss became a nine-yard gain because of a personal foul.

The Centurions have now outscored their opponents, 167-0, starting the season with five shutouts--the third longest such streak in section history. Sweetwater also had five in a row in 1983.

Running back Ed Miller had 17 carries for 151 yards rushing and a two-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the second quarter. Ed Miller set it up with a 27-yard run to the three-yard line, the first of his two 27-yarders.

Quarterback Daranzol Sheppard scored on a 38-yard run later in the quarter to make it 14-0 before halftime. Running back Paul Turner ran for a 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Then with 3:22 left in the game, safety Peter Uriarte stepped in front of Sunny Miller, intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for the game’s final score.

With 15 seconds left and Mission Bay again threatening to burst UC’s tenuous shutout string at the UC 19, Stroberg completed a pass over the middle to tight end Jeff Udvarhelyi, who fumbled after being hit. The ball bounced into the end zone, where Centurion James Armstrong jumped on it for a touchback.

“That play was lucky,” said UC linebacker Ken Williams, who dominated the game with 16 tackles. “I think we can play with anybody, but not the way we played today.”

UC had every reason to be ready. Both teams were 4-0. If the Centurions can blank University of San Diego High next week, they will match El Camino (in 1984) and Marcus Allen-led Lincoln (1977) as the only teams in section history with six shutouts in a row. Like UC, Lincoln’s streak came at the beginning of the season. Only one team had seven consecutive shutouts, Division 1-A Christian in 1978.

However, Williams gave UC’s performance Friday a 1, on a scale of one to 10.

UC had 296 yards of total offense, 222 of it coming on 33 rushing plays. Sheppard completed three of five passes for 74 yards and his first interception. Mission Bay’s total net offensive yardage was 81, 46 of it coming on 30 rushing plays--10 of them for losses. Vincent and Stroberg each completed two of eight passes for 31 yards, but three consecutive drives in the first half ended with Vincent’s passes being intercepted.

“We could have been more pumped,” said Ed Miller. “We learned we can’t play anybody soft. We’ve got to play everybody hard.”