The Buccaneers used three long touchdown passes in the first half and an aggressive defense throughout the game to beat Scripps Ranch, 34-21, and to ensure a happy homecoming night on Oct. 16 for Mission Bay High under the lights in Pacific Beach. Mission Bay (7-0, 2-0) opened the scoring late in the first quarter with an option pass from quarterback Jaiden Correa to wide receiver Keyon Holiday, who stepped back and heaved the ball about 40 yards downfield to receiver Niegil Harness-Anderson who bobbled it, pulled it in and sprinted another 20 yards for the touchdown. After the defense forced a quick three-and-out, Mission Bay struck again two minutes later, with Correa finding receiver Michael Sanders wide open over the middle for a 55-yard touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, the Buccaneers pulled off another option pass when Correa zipped the ball to running back Derrick Clark, who was split out wide. Clark turned and fired the ball about 50 yards in the air to receiver Jhavari Ransom, who found the end zone about 10 yards later to give Mission Bay a 20-0 lead. “We worked on the option passes all week and a couple of the plays during the last month – we knew we would want to use them during league games,” said Bucs coach Willie Matson. “We looked at their defense and figured we would have a chance to do it.”
Late in the third quarter, an interception by defensive back Brent Jenkins set up Mission Bay with a short field at the Scripps Ranch 21-yard-line, and the Bucs took advantage. On third down, Correa dropped back to pass, scrambled to his right and threw a pass deep in the right corner of the end zone that Ransom grabbed just before falling out of bounds. “I don’t think they thought we were consistent enough with our passing game so they keyed on Clark and our running game,” Matson said. “But we have some really good skill at wide receiver.” In the fourth quarter, things got a bit sloppy, but Correa did find Ransom again on a long touchdown pass of about 45 yards to finish up the scoring for Mission Bay. “It’s great to be 7-0,” Matson said. “But it’s still baby steps with these guys. They’re young. We have some good players and have some young players who still have to learn. But they do play really well in spots.”
Mission Bay’s next game is at San Diego High (1-6) at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.