Patton’s Interception Sparks Irvine

Eric Patton’s 98-yard interception return midway through the second quarter sparked a five-minute scoring blitz by Irvine and the Vaqueros defeated Ocean View, 30-0, in a first-round Southern Section Division VI playoff game at Irvine.

The second-seeded Vaqueros (11-0), leading, 7-0, thanks to a 19-yard run by Godfrey Young midway through the first quarter, saw Ocean View come right back and drive the ball 62 yards down to Irvine’s one-yard line.

That’s when Patton stepped out in the flat, picked off a Patrick Campbell pass and raced down the sideline for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Four minutes and 37 seconds later, Irvine had a 30-point lead.

“That pick turned it all around,” Irvine Coach Terry Henigan said. “They were kicking our butts. They were just outplaying us. They had an excellent game plan.”

Despite leading, the Vaqueros were stagnant much of the first half. They didn’t pick up a first down until their third possession of the game when they got their first score.

Irvine saw a 49-yard drive come to an end at Ocean View’s 25-yard line when, after three consecutive batted balls, Campbell, from his safety position, intercepted a Travis Otott pass to end the threat.

“Everyone seemed not into it,” Patton said. “We didn’t have the greatest practices this week. We weren’t picking it up.”

After Patton’s interception, his second of the game, the Vaqueros’ defense came alive, holding the Seahawks to minus-nine yards in their final three possessions of the half.

Jorian Guinn recorded two of Irvine’s three sacks as the Vaqueros hammered Campbell every time he threw the ball. They finally knocked him out of the game with 1:34 left in the third quarter. He stayed in at safety, but saw only one more snap at quarterback.

The Vaqueros’ offense took advantage of good field position and scored touchdowns on a 22-yard run by Peter Abe and a five-yard sweep by Otott. They closed out the scoring on a safety with 3:20 remaining in the half.

Henigan was content to have his team sit on its lead in the second half. Reserves played most of the fourth quarter.