Huntington Beach Gets by Damien : Oilers Stop Two Fourth-Quarter Drives to Win, 21-14

Huntington Beach High School, seemingly forgotten in the shuffle of preseason football publicity that centered on Sunset League favorites Edison and Fountain Valley, is 2-0 thanks to its 21-14 nonleague victory over Damien Thursday night at Huntington Beach’s Sheue Field.

George Pascoe, the Huntington Beach coach, is hardly clearing space on his shelf for a Sunset League trophy, but his Oilers, who were 2-7-1 last season, remained undefeated whereas Edison is searching for its first win.

The game was marred by penalties, but the Oilers moved the ball well, scored when given opportunities and held off two fourth-quarter Spartan rallies.

The Oilers scored first when quarterback Joe Napoli found halfback Chris Ross open in the middle of the field for a 51-yard touchdown pass play midway through the second quarter.

Damien, from La Verne, then scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass play from Bob Fresques to Ken Korn two minutes later, and the teams were tied, 7-7, at halftime.

The third quarter belonged to the Oilers when Napoli hit wide receiver Ken Purdue with a 45-yard touchdown pass to put the Oilers into the lead for good.

Purdue caught the ball at the 25-yard line as three Damien defenders ran into each other and Purdue ran the rest of the way untouched for the score.

Halfback Scott Elliott scored on a three-yard run later in the quarter to give the Oilers a 21-7 lead.

Damien came back on a desperation, fourth-down, off-balance three-yard touchdown pass play from Fresques to Ross early in the fourth quarter to pull within seven points, but two subsequent drives were stifled by the Huntington Beach defense.