By:JOSEPH KELLARD
High school football schedules are designed to advantage the host team for their Homecoming game. Last Saturday after the first quarter had expired, the Oceanside Sailors were clearly living up to that design, having mounted a 21-0 lead that they would double against the Long Beach Marines.
From the start, misplay by the Marines gave the Sailors great field position. On the opening kickoff, Long Beach's kick returner John Gomez unintentionally downed the ball at Long Beach's 4-yard line. Standing in his end zone four plays later, Long Beach's quarterback/punter Justin Shapiro kicked the ball a net total of just four yards to the 9-yard line. On Oceanside's first offensive play from scrimmage, tailback Dom DiDominico ran for a touchdown.
At 6:24 in the first quarter, after the Marines again failed to gain a first down during their second drive, the Sailors offense found the endzone again on their third play from scrimmage. DiDominico was handed the ball from Long Beach's 27-yard line and ran it in for a quick 14-0 lead.
Later in the first quarter, instead of punting on fourth-and-12 from Long Beach's 42-yard line, Oceanside's QB Jimmy Herold put the ball in the air to wide receiver Matt Martin, who caught the pass in stride down the left sideline and took it in for the Sailors' third consecutive touchdown.
Contributing to the Sailors' success was the dominance of their defense. Early in the second quarter, from their own 32-yard line, Long Beach's QB Justin Shapiro tossed a low, short pass that was deflected, intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Oceanside defensive end Bayo DiBassey. With little success running the ball up the middle, Long Beach's backs attempted to take it outside, but were often met by Sailors' cornerback John Trotta, who made three solo tackles in the first half.
As a tailback, Trotta ran the ball from his team's own 19-yard line to Long Beach's 26-yard line with 3:40 left in the second quarter, and on the next play DiDominico reached the end zone untouched to put the Sailors up 34-0.
During the second quarter, the Marines' special teams handed their offense their best field position when defensive back Michael Ficklin blocked a Sailors' punt that was recovered at the Oceanside 14-yard line. But Long Beach's offense went backwards instead of endzone-bound. On fourth down and 15 from the 19-yard-line, Oceanside's defense powered through the Marines' front line and swarmed Shapiro just as he handed the ball off to a back, who was stopped cold.
Halfway through the third quarter, Long Beach's special teams once again provided their offense with another good shot to score some points after Sailors' kicker Ray Vignola mishandled a punt and the Marines recovered the ball at the Oceanside 12-yard line. However, the Marines' offense was again unable to capitalize, gaining just three yards on four plays.
With under a minute left in the third quarter on third-and-4 from their 49-yard line, the Sailors ran an option play to Trotta who broke tackles and rushed to the Marines' 5-yard line. Using the option again on third-and-goal from the 14-yard line, Trotta took the ball in for Oceanside's final score with 10:18 left to go in the game.
In taking the Sailors to their 41-0 victory, DiDominico had 83 yards and three touchdowns on five carries, Trotta rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, and Ryan Julino led the defense with eight solo tackles. Long Beach's KR John Gomez proved to be the Marines busiest player of the day, handling eight kickoffs.
As the Sailors improved to 2-1, Long Beach appears to be heading for another dismal season as they drop to 0-3.
