La Jolla football came out hard against Mission Bay last Friday night, pulling ahead in the second quarter and holding the lead through the break until the Bucs regained it late in the third.
“We played a good football team pretty well; they have some real athletes and we held them really well,” head coach Dave Ponsford said. “It’s just frustrating to come up short in these close games.”
The true test of a team is to be able to put together a complete game ” not letting up even when ahead, and keeping the momentum going to win the game. Winning a close game against an opponent that is supposed to be better takes players who can keep their heads in the game the whole time.
“You just have to play a perfect game, click on all cylinders, and we didn’t do that,” Ponsford said. “Offensively we just weren’t getting it done; we connected, but not enough of the time.
Mission Bay drew first blood, with junior Evan Taylor hitting freshman Dillon Baxter for a 50-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. La Jolla answered at the beginning of the second period when big junior fullback Ja’rodd Watson dragged defenders 11 yards into the end zone.
The half ended on a La Jolla safety when two Vikes took down Taylor in the end zone on a big play. La Jolla had the momentum going in to the locker room, and just needed to hold on for an upset win.
Both teams regrouped from a first half filled with turnovers, with Taylor once again hitting running back Baxter, this time for a 26-yard touchdown. The momentum had finally shifted in Mission Bay’s favor, and the rest of the game was only punctuated by one field goal, when senior Lucas Balbi added to his two PATs on a 26-yard field goal.
“We have homecoming on Friday against San Diego High ” should be another tough game,” Ponsford said. “We definitely have to win to make it to the playoffs; we’ve played tough teams already and we gotta get this one, too.”
The Cavers come to La Jolla for a 7 p.m. start on Friday, Oct. 27.