Wolverines Hold Off a Wobbly Pacifica

Maybe it wasn’t for the Southern Section title this time, but Aliso Niguel’s 21-14 nonleague victory over Pacifica Thursday night was still worth celebrating.

So as Aliso Niguel Coach Joe Wood stood in the middle of the field and explained how his team handed Pacifica its second loss, his players jumped up and down and congratulated themselves.

“We felt going in that Pacifica was the best football team we’d played and that’s no disrespect to any of the South County teams we’ve played,” said Wood, whose team defeated Pacifica, 32-21, in 1996 for the Division VIII title. “This was a big win.”

Especially since it came without Aliso Niguel’s leading rusher Iman Nikzad, who stayed home with the flu. Sophomore Alex Meade filled in admirably, rushing for 116 yards in 23 carries.

Pacifica’s leading rusher, Jared Kemp, played but was slowed by a sore right ankle. Kemp, who had been averaging 115 yards and three touchdowns a game, gained 51 yards in 18 carries and did not score.

“Our philosophy is to stop the run,” Wood said. “We tried to put pressure on them and we did by putting them in second-and-long situations about 80% of the game.”

Pacifica grabbed a 7-0 lead by capitalizing on Chris Bernard’s fumble at midfield. The Mariners scored on quarterback Joey Fuske’s five-yard run on a naked bootleg, but their offense did little right the rest of the way.

Fuske had an off night, completing eight of 24 passes for 105 yards and touchdown with three interceptions. “The receivers were on the right page, but Joey wasn’t turning the pages very fast,” Pacifica Coach Bill Craven said. “Joey was a thrower tonight, not a passer.”

Aliso Niguel defensive back Michael Mudge picked off two of Fuske’s passes, including one in the end zone as Pacifica drove for a tying touchdown in the closing minute.

Aliso Niguel sophomore quarterback Joel Smith wasn’t spectacular but he was solid. He completed seven of 16 passes for two touchdowns, both going to Bernard. Bernard’s first touchdown catch covered 75 yards and tied the score at 7. His second, a nine-yard grab, put the Wolverines (4-2) up 21-7 with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Wolverines’ second touchdown came on a 75-yard punt return by Nick Assad, who broke three tackles along the way. Pacifica closed to 21-14 late in the third quarter on a Fuske to Jeremy Lovelace 10-yard touchdown pass.

Pacifica drove to Aliso Niguel’s 12-yard line with 40 seconds left in the game, but Fuske overthrew his intended receiver and Mudge picked off the ball and returned it 75 yards.