Ocean View used a ball control game plan to edge University, 8-6, in football action Fri night, Sep 2 at home in Huntington Beach. The Seahawks essentially played a game of keep away controlling the ball for 33+ minutes to the Trojans’ almost 15 minutes. The home squad abandoned their usual run-pass mix for a pure ground game carrying the ball 58 times for 226 yards and 17 first downs (one by penalty). The three passes they attempted fell incomplete.
Ocean View controlled the ball for almost 80% of the first half culminating in a 5-yard TD run by Soph RB Haston Allen, who carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards. Jr QB Frankie Armenia scored the 2-point convert on a keeper to put the Seahawks up 8-0 with 10 seconds left in the half.
The first half highlights for the Trojans were Sr Connor Ghaznavi’s opening kickoff into the end zone, Jr Andrew Bogard’s 48-yard punt downed on the 8-yard line and a 36-yard Koa Saito to Jonathan Soto pass completion to end the half.
Uni changed the tone in the second half. After recovering an onside kick, the visitors drove 37 yards in four plays including a 29-yard toss from Saito to Sr TE Chris Conner. Jai Williams scampered 7 yards for his 5th touchdown on the young season. On the night, the Jr RB / LB had 65 yards on 12 carries. Uni attempted to tie the game, but Saito’s PAT pass was picked off by Sr DB Nick Flum.
On the ensuing kickoff Ghaznavi successfully executed an onside kick with Jr Brooks Beckmann recovering the ball on the Ocean View 39-yard line. The subsequent drive fizzled, but on Uni’s next possession they engineered a 10 play, 53-yard drive from their own 32 highlighted by runs from Saito and Williams. Connor Ghaznavi’s 32-yard FG attempt had plenty of distance, but apparently was just wide. Uni had two more opportunities, but could not move the ball. Uni could only muster 8 first downs (five on the ground a three in the air). UHS had 81 yards running and 96 yards passing (8 for 25). There were no true turnovers in the game. Each team was guilty of eight penalties, but Uni’s seemed to hurt the most allowing a first down on a 4th and 7 via a face mask and nullifying some significant offensive gains.
The Uni defense was on the field for some 61 plays recording 8 tackles for loss and one sack. Several Trojans were very active making tackles. Williams had 15 tackles (2 for loss). Sr LB Chris Rue notched 10 (1 for loss). A pair of Juniors had eight apiece: LB Ryan Shabbak (one for loss) and DB Beckmann (plus one pass break up). Sr DE Devin Fowler contributed seven tackles while JR DE Asger Ross added another half dozen.
Ocean View improves to 1-2 avenging a 13-12 loss at Uni last season. The Trojans fall to 1-2 with a second close loss and will play at Century in Santa Ana, Fri, Sep 9.