Best-Laid Plans Laid to Waste as Esperanza Routs Marina

Figuring it was his team’s only chance of upsetting No. 3 Esperanza, Marina Coach Mike Dodd wanted his quarterback, Beau Brown, to pass the ball 20 to 30 times Thursday.

Brown threw six passes.

Once again, Esperanza was treated to an impressive display by Temitope Sonuyi, the county’s leading rusher, and a sterling performance by its defense, especially Alex deBrucky, in a 42-15 Sunset League victory at Westminster High.

Esperanza (6-1, 2-0 in league) won its fifth consecutive game. Marina dropped to 5-2, 0-2.

Brown is an accomplished option quarterback, but Esperanza Coach Gary Meek hoped to get an early lead and make Brown prove himself as a passer.

Midway through the first quarter, Sonuyi had scored twice and given Esperanza a 14-0 lead. At the same time, the Marina coaches knew their team was overmatched.

“We couldn’t block anybody,” Dodd said. “We wanted to do some things later on. The plan was to be close in the third quarter and then throw a wrinkle at them.”

Instead, deBrucky threw the kitchen sink at the Vikings. He finished with three of Esperanza’s four sacks and recovered two fumbles, helping the Aztecs build a 28-0 halftime lead that reached 35-0 going into the fourth quarter.

“I thought we played well, but not our best,” said deBrucky, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end and tight end. “This week we matured on defense. It’s the first week we were all on the same page.”

Esperanza gave up only 153 yards to Marina, 90 of which came in the second half. Marina’s touchdowns came on Adam Hayward’s 11-yard run and his 53-yard fumble return. Esperanza gained 448 yards, 352 rushing.

Sonuyi rushed 29 times for 214 yards and three touchdowns. He staked Esperanza to a 6-0 lead on its second possession, scoring from 27 yards.

After deBrucky recovered a fumble at the Marina 29, Sonuyi’s next carry yielded a 14-yard touchdown and Greg Farrell’s pass to Daniel Pace provided a two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game. Sonuyi also had a three-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Farrell was just getting warmed up. He completed touchdown passes of 38 yards to Pace and 11 to Anthony Vicencia in the second quarter, the latter with 26 seconds left in the half. Brandon Weiner’s conversion gave the Aztecs a 28-0 lead.

Farrell completed six of 14 passes for 96 yards. Brown, who left in the fourth quarter with what Dodd fears is a broken collarbone--courtesy of deBrucky’s third sack--completed two passes for seven yards.

Turill Engleman led Marina with 111 yards in nine carries. Shaun Wildenstein rushed 12 times for 98 yards and a touchdown for Esperanza.