Santiago Whips Pacifica, Makes Big Impression

Santiago still has to be awarded an at-large berth into the Division IX playoffs, but the Cavaliers made the Southern Section’s decision a lot easier with a convincing 28-14 victory over Pacifica Thursday night at Garden Grove High.

Santiago ends the regular season with an 8-2 record, but it will finish as the Garden Grove League’s fourth-place team if La Quinta defeats Garden Grove tonight.

But the way Santiago played against league-champion Pacifica, ranked third in Division IX, and the way it celebrated afterward, the Cavaliers hardly looked like a fourth-place team.

“I think this gets us the at-large berth and gets us ranked high up there in the division,” said Santiago Coach Ben Haley after running around the field dodging a cooler of ice water. “I think Pacifica, Los Amigos and La Quinta know who the best team is in the Garden Grove League.”

Haley discounted the theory that Pacifica (7-3, 5-1) already had the league title wrapped up and thus had little motivation to beat Santiago.

“Absolutely not,” Haley said. “Bill Craven [Pacifica’s coach] wouldn’t let them do that. They knew this was their biggest nightmare. They’re going to get knocked down in the rankings and we’ll get moved up [from eighth].”

Santiago jumped on Pacifica immediately as Cavalier running back James Thomas sprinted 64 yards down the right sideline on the first play from scrimmage. On Pacifica’s first offensive play, quarterback Matt Reis had his pass intercepted by defensive back Christian Aguirre. Reis’ second interception, to Albert Lara, set up Thomas’ second touchdown, a spectacular 20-yard run in which Thomas ran through three tackles.

Two plays later, Pacifica scored on a 52-yard pass play from Brent Kirkland, who replaced Reis. But Santiago scored twice more before the half ended on Scott Pilkington’s 20-yard pass to Trung Nguyen and Brandan Perry’s three-yard run. Perry’s score came three plays after Bryan Thomas intercepted a Kirkland pass and returned it 19 yards to the Pacifica 25.

Santiago, which had four interceptions, didn’t do much on offense in the second half, but it didn’t need to with a three-touchdown lead. Thomas finished with 124 yards in 23 carries.