The Point Loma Pointers (1-0) opened the 2006 football season with a resounding 49-0 nondistrict victory over the hapless Morse Tigers at Point Loma High School Saturday, Sept. 2. The Pointers, who are coming off a 12-1 season – they posted an undefeated regular season and won two playoff games only to end 2005 with a disappointing loss to St. Augustine in the CIF Division III Championship game – took the first step toward a hopeful return to Qualcomm Stadium this December.
The stars of the game for Point Loma were senior running backs Lester Arnold and Luis Villavicencio. Arnold scored three of the Pointers’ six first-half touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) and rushed for 81 yards on only five attempts. Villavicencio had two touchdowns of his own (one rushing, one receiving).
The Pointers scored on each of its six first-half drives and put the game away early as they sprinted out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter on touchdown runs by Villavicencio from two yards out and a one-yard run by quarterback Josh Shaw. Kicker Steven Padilla’s extra point was blocked on the first scoring drive, but Point Loma made up for it when they scored on a two-point conversion on the second scoring drive.
Arnold scored the other two first-quarter touchdowns both on clutch third down and long situations from 15 yards on a screen-pass to cap a five-play 42-yard drive and then on a 21-yard run on a three-play 29-yard drive. Arnold scored a third time on another screenpass from 41 yards out with no blockers as he outraced the demoralized Morse defense to the goalline.
Villavicencio’s second touchdown came on a 23-yard pass from Shaw as he hit him on a deep fade pass while Villavicencio ran uncovered down the sideline and leaped high into the air to snare the ball from a late-arriving Tiger defender, who made a desperate last-second attempt to break up the pass.
The Point Loma rushing attack was so dominating that Shaw attempted only five passes, though he completed four of them, three of which were touchdown passes. He passed for 114 yards.
The Pointers added another touchdown on the first possession of the second half when Shaw hit wide receiver Drew Callejon from 30 yards out. The second half included a running clock, which prevented an even bigger blowout, as both coaches wanted to speed the game up when it became obvious it was no longer a contest.
Point Loma will face the Fallbrook Warriors (0-1) at home Saturday, Sept. 9, at 3 p.m. Fallbrook is coming off a 49-21 loss at the hands of San Clemente.