GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE FOOTBALL : Wolfson Sparks Late Pacifica Drive

GARDEN GROVE —  All Pacifica quarterback Brian Wolfson and running back Vince Murry wanted was a chance to make up for their earlier football sins.

And they got their opportunity--on the Mariners’ next-to-last possession.

Wolfson came off the bench to spark the winning drive, which ended on a six-yard touchdown run by Murry that gave Pacifica a 21-14 victory over La Quinta Thursday night in a Garden Grove League game at Bolsa Grande High.

Pacifica Coach Bill Craven had benched Wolfson after the quarterback was intercepted three times in a loss to Kennedy last week.

Before the Mariners’ winning drive, Wolfson had thrown only one pass--a seven-yard completion late in the first half in a brief relief of starter Jeff DePippo.

But Wolfson came off the bench again with Pacifica trailing, 14-13, with 3 minutes 59 seconds remaining. He completed five consecutive passes for 48 yards as Pacifica drove from its 20 to the La Quinta six, where Murry scored on an off-tackle run.

Murry’s touchdown, and his two-point conversion run that followed, gave Pacifica (4-3, 2-2 in league) a 21-14 lead with 1:02 left.

It also made up for a low extra-point kick by Murry that was partially blocked early in the third quarter. It nearly cost the Mariners the game.

Damien Cook’s 86-yard return of the second-half kickoff had given Pacifica a 13-7 lead. But Murry’s kick clipped the outstretched arm of a La Quinta defender and sailed wide to the right.

La Quinta (1-6, 1-3) nearly took advantage of Murry’s miscue in the fourth quarter. A Pacifica face-mask penalty and a 22-yard pass from Jason Gondringer to Pat Wilson helped La Quinta move the ball to the Mariner four, where Prinya Satitpunwaycha ran for a score with 3:59 left.

“We knew we still had plenty of time after the touchdown,” Craven said. “When things got tough, Brian came off the bench and did a great job for us.”

Pacifica’s Josh Lewis preserved the victory by intercepting a deep pass by Gondringer at the Pacifica 23 with nine seconds left. Lewis also rushed for 104 yards in 19 carries.

“We’re still alive,” Pacifica Craven said. “But I don’t know if I want to go through three more games like this one.”