If it’s true high school coaches schedule weaker opponents for Homecoming, then Mira Mesa’s staff grossly underestimated Point Loma’s Pointers.
Playing perhaps their first game of the season with all phases of the game performing well, the Pointers destroyed the Marauders 45-14 last week, spoiling the night for a large crowd of students and returning alums who watched largely in silence.
But there was plenty to cheer about for the Pointer faithful, who braved Friday night rush hour traffic on the I-15 to watch their team score in every quarter of the dominating victory.
“It was a fun game,” said Pointer head coach Mike Hastings afterwards. “We watched the film and knew we were pretty strong up front and liked what we could do against this team.”
The victory left the Pointers with a 4-2 record and 1-0 in Western League play. Mira Mesa drops to 1-5 and 0-1.
The Pointers racked up some sizable numbers.
Quarterback Kyle Grady competed 10 of 15 attempts for 189 yards (18.9 average) and a touchdown.
Gabe Hall caught three passes for 39 yards, Patrick Rutledge also snagged three for 75 yards and Josh Ball snared two for 41 yards and a touchdown. Malik Moore had one catch for 31 yards and JL Skinner caught one for three yards.
Running backs Ball and Antonio Quintanilla each had big nights. Ball ran 19 times for 168 yards (8.8 average) and scored three touchdowns. Quintanilla had 169 yards on nine carries (18.8 average) and scored once. Sophomore Cameron Auva’a had two carries for 44 yards and the final touchdown.
It was a night of offense as the Pointers rolled up a remarkable 583 yards on 52 offensive plays, an average of 11.2 per snap. The Marauders tallied 311 yards of their own, but had trouble reaching the end zone.
The Pointers wasted no time establishing control as Quintanilla took a handoff on the game’s first play and sprinted 60 yards downfield before being caught two yards short of the goal. Ball scored on the next play for a 7-0 lead after less than two minutes of play. Ball’s 50-yard run, where he broke several tackle attempts, gave the Pointers a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and just 1:58 later, Quintanilla went up the middle, broke free and outran defenders to the goal for a 72-yard scoring run.
Even when the Marauders stopped them the Pointers tacked on three points when kicker Oscar Borjon’s 34-yard field goal was good, giving the Pointers a 24-0 halftime lead.
Ball scored twice more in the third period, first on a short run on the opening drive after the break, knocking a defender back as he crossed the goal on a drive that consumed half the quarter, and again on a wide-open 23-yard pass from Grady.
“I thought Kyle (Grady) had a great night throwing the ball,” Hastings said, also praising Ball, Quintanilla, Borjon and his offensive line, which “did a great job up front.”
The Pointers have their work cut out for them in the final road game of the regular season as they visit powerhouse league foe Madison, a team that knocked off the county’s previous top-rated team St. Augustine 56-42 last week.
“Our kids are hungry and want to play them, and a good week of practice will help us give everything we’ve got,” Hastings said.
The game kicks off tomorrow (Oct. 14) at 6:30 p.m. at Madison. EXTRA POINTS:
Lingering Pointer players, students and fans watched in awe after the game when a brilliant laser-music show began as part of Mira Mesa’s Homecoming after the stadium lights were turned off.
With volunteers harder to find, the Marauder snack bar has been turned over, by agreement, to employees of Chick-Fil-A, who serve their products along with standard fare. They even accepted credit cards for purchases.
Players and coaches serenaded varsity assistant/head JV coach Paul Lawrence after the game on his birthday.
The Pointer freshman team moved to 5-1 with a 21-6 victory over the Marauders and the JV team moved to 4-2 with a close 22-20 win.