Huntington Beach Strategy Produces 2nd Consecutive Shutout

Huntington Beach, in order to better prepare for Torrance’s option offense, didn’t use a ball in practice this week.

The idea is that by concentrating on the player they are responsible for, defenders can avoid getting fooled by the quarterback’s misdirection.

The strategy worked as the Oilers limited Torrance to 96 yards in total offense and won, 24-0, in a nonleague game Thursday at Huntington Beach High.

It was the second consecutive shutout for Huntington Beach, which is 2-0 for the first time since 1993. Torrance had 67 yards rushing.

“We ran with no ball [in practice] so everybody would get tackled,” said Huntington Beach senior linebacker Adam Nyssen, who recovered two fumbles and had a sack late in the game.

Nyssen’s first fumble recovery came after Torrance quarterback Sean Judd was hit as he pitched the ball on the option with 8 minutes 44 seconds left in the first quarter.

Nyssen fell on the ball at the Torrance 33. Huntington Beach eventually got a field goal to take a 10-0 lead.

The game stabilized until late in the half. With 3:14 to go, Torrance went into reverse. The Tartars had first and 10 at their 40 that eventually became third and 49 after an incomplete pass, an intentional grounding penalty and a blocking below the waist call.

After a solid punt, Huntington Beach started at its 48 with 2:36 left. A pass interference call kept the drive alive and quarterback Jeff Emerson completed a 33-yard scoring pass to Justin Denton with 15 seconds left in the half for a 17-0 lead.

Emerson got the only touchdown of the second half when he scrambled 20 yards around right end for a score with 2:50 left in the third quarter.

Huntington Beach’s first touchdown came on a two-yard run by Damon Van Hoorebeke, who had started the drive with a 35-yard dash around the left side. Van Hoorebeke finished with a game-high 96 yards in 13 carries.

“We’re getting there,” said second-year Huntington Beach Coach Tony Ciarelli, who already has matched his victory total of last season. “We have two shutouts and you can’t beat that. The kids are really moving well to the ball on defense.”