Peninsula’s Victory Features a Few Tricks

There were plenty of trick plays in Palos Verdes Peninsula’s 35-14 victory over Chino Hills Ayala in Friday’s Division II championship game, but the biggest surprise wasn’t a play at all.

Ayala had scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to cut Peninsula’s lead to 21-14, and Peninsula’s offense looked suspect. It faced a fourth-and-four at midfield, and had lined up as if it were going for the first down.

But quarterback Greg Beal back-pedaled into punt formation, which caused Ayala’s line to jump off-side.

The penalty gave the Panthers (14-0) a first down and Beal made Ayala pay for its mistake when he faked a handoff five plays later and ran around the right side for a 21-yard touchdown with 8:31 left in the game.

Ayala (11-2) tried to answer, but quarterback Mike Frost was intercepted for the second time, which led to Cabot Denny’s one-yard touchdown run with 1:53 remaining.

The Southern Section championship is the first for the school.

Beal got Peninsula started when he kept an option and ran 63 yards to the Bulldogs’ 17 on the Panthers’ third possession. He kept the drive alive with a quarterback sneak on fourth and inches at the eight, then hit tight end Tom Swaboda with a six-yard touchdown pass after a play-action fake.