Orange County High School Football PREP EXTRA : Carlsbad Gets Past San Clemente, 17-14

San Clemente routed Carlsbad by 31 points in the last meeting between schools known for surfing and separated only by Oceanside and Camp Pendleton. But within a couple a plays and a couple bone-jarring hits, San Clemente knew this would be a different type of game.

Carlsbad outplayed San Clemente in the first half and came up with a big play in the closing seconds to defeat the Tritons, 17-14, Friday night in front of about 2,500 at San Clemente High.

The Lancers improved to 2-0, while San Clemente fell to 1-1. San Clemente had a 14-10 lead and appeared ready to ice the game in the last three minutes, but quarterback Jeff Carlin and running back Cheyenne Dixon got their signals crossed and fumbled a handoff at midfield.

Carlsbad scored seven plays later on a 14-yard alley-oop pass in the corner of the end zone from quarterback Mike Cancelleri to receiver Brandon Healy with 31 seconds left.

“It was a perfect ball,” Healy said. “Mike’s a great quarterback and he put it right where it had to be.”

Healy outjumped two San Clemente defenders and came down with both feet inbounds. San Clemente’s comeback chances died when Carlin’s desperation pass was intercepted by Carlsbad’s Tony Sullivan as time ran out.

Healy, a 6-foot, 185-pound junior, said most of the team doesn’t remember last year’s beating.

“This is a different coach, a different attitude and a different season,” Healy said.

The new coach is Bob McAllister, who was an assistant at Westminster for four years.

“I remembered what Orange County football is all about and I knew San Clemente was a quality team,” he said.

This year’s team relies on a no-huddle offense, a short passing game and a stingy defense. The passing game wasn’t working in the first half as Carlin completed only nine of 23 passes for 70 yards and was sacked four times for minus 21 yards by a blitzing Carlsbad defense.

“We had a terrible first half,” San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy said. “They came out in different defensive looks than we had practiced against all week.”

Carlsbad didn’t do much on offense either in the first half and led only 3-0 at the half. But San Clemente opened the second half by recovering an onside kick. The Tritons scored five plays later on a 27-yard Carlin-to-Ryan Hoffman pass.

Carlsbad took back the lead when Healy took a Cancelleri wounded duck pass away from two defenders and raced 83 yards into the end zone. San Clemente took its 14-10 lead on a seven-yard run by Keith Gros with a minute left in the third quarter.