Frazier Grinds Out Victory for Troy

Troy fullback Todd Frazier pounded his way to a season-high 189 yards and three touchdowns in 30 carries, leading the Warriors to a 19-14 victory over Ocean View Thursday night at Huntington Beach High.

Frazier scored on runs of one, four and 19 yards to stake Troy to a 19-point fourth-quarter lead. The four quarterbacks who played attempted only 19 passes with six completions and three interceptions among them.

Troy’s three quarterbacks combined for 19 passing yards, while Ocean View’s Scott McMahan, under a heavy rush, finished with 81 yards passing. The biggest chunk came on his 36-yard catch-and-run toss to wide receiver Deshai Houston that set up the Seahawks’ second touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Troy slotback Brett Murray gained 97 yards in seven carries, mostly sweeps, halfback Steve Harris gained 94 yards in 12 carries and backup Jesse Petersen turned in 38 yards.

Ocean View sophomore running back Jason Rhoads led the Seahawks with 170 yards in 24 carries, including their ice-breaking touchdown with eight minutes, 32 seconds left in the game.

It was Frazier, however, that stole the show.

Recovering from a fractured finger sustained in a 28-19 loss to Orange Lutheran earlier in the year, Frazier got the Warriors on the scoreboard nine minutes into the game, getting all but 22 yards of a five-play, 56-yard scoring drive.

Seven minutes later he plowed into the end zone from the four-yard line, his seventh carry of an 11-play, 89-yard scoring drive.

Both point-after attempts failed.

Frazier picked up his third score, a 19-yard run, on a nine-play, 97-yard drive that was highlighted by 30 yards rushing from Murray and 40 yards from Frazier.

Rhoads carried the load for the Seahawks the next time they touched the ball, carrying eight times, and taking a five-yard pass from McMahan. It was all part of a 69-yard scoring drive from an otherwise dormant offensive attack. A two-point conversion was also good.

When Ocean View (3-2) scored the next time it touched the ball on Houston’s 16-yard pass from McMahan, Frazier said he got a bit concerned. Four minutes, 22 seconds still remained.

“I don’t think our defense took that series too seriously,” he said.

But Troy (3-2) got the ball back and ran down the clock with Frazier pounding into the front line time and time again.

“This was the most physical team we’ve faced,” said first-year Ocean View Coach Harold Eggers. “Hopefully, we’ll learn from this, because we play several physical teams in our league.”