Quarterback Keegan Fitzgerald threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Jordan Sparkman as the Point Loma High School (PLHS) Pointers defeated Monte Vista 14-6 in their season opener last Friday night. The victory was diminished, however, by the loss of senior defensive standout and team leader Will McDonough, who sustained a serious knee injury in the game’s first half that will likely end his season. Further evaluation of McDonough’s injury was scheduled this week. Playing in sweltering temperatures on the Monarchs’ campus, the Pointers struck first when Fitzgerald connected with Sparkman for a 6-yard score in the first quarter. Ruben Diaz’s extra point gave the visitors a 7-0 lead that stood until the fourth quarter. Then, after scrambling to escape pursuing defenders, Fitzgerald found Sparkman, who stands 6’6″, uncovered. The pair hooked up on a 33-yard pass/run that was the Pointers’ longest play of the game. Diaz again supplied the extra point, upping the lead to 14-0 with just minutes left in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, a Monarch returner, who appeared to be stopped in a pileup of players, somehow broke free and stunned the Pointer special teamers with a 90-yard return for the hosts’ lone score of the night. Following the game, Pointer head coach Mike Hastings praised his team for their efforts, but let them know there are areas needing further practice. “We (the coaches) saw some things and you saw some things that we need to work on,” Hastings told his squad. “But we are going to be a very good football team.” Fitzgerald ended the game with a 73-percent passing completion (8 of 11) for 115 yards. Sparkman had three catches for 63 yards, while other favorite targets included Stephan Jackson (three catches for 15 yards) and Davis Callejon, whose one catch covered 32 yards. The Pointers’ ground game totaled 121 yards. Leslie Rogers, returning from knee surgery after last year’s second straight 1,000-yard season, led the team with nine carries for 37 yards. Emilio Diaz (four carries for 27 yards) and Zach Gemmill (six carrues for 21 yards) also had strong showings. Defensively, the Pointers shut out their opponent. Curis Dietz led with nine tackles, while Anthony Joyner recorded eight tackles and a sack of the Monarch quarterback. Eric Bueno contributed five tackles, while Sparkman caused a Monte Vista fumble and Morris Mathews recovered one. The varsity victory capped a perfect opening week for Point Loma football, as both the freshman team — playing all three quarterbacks — and the junior varsity squad defeated the Monarchs by wide margins. The Pointers return to action Saturday with a triple-header set for their home opener against Patrick Henry High. The freshman begin with a 10 a.m. kickoff, followed by the junior varsity at 12:30 p.m. and the varsity battle set for 3 p.m.
