Pacifica Holds Off Santiago Comeback Attempt

GARDEN GROVE —  Pacifica was having fun in the mud.

Then things got a little sticky.

The Mariners had a 22-point lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter but had to hold off a fourth-quarter rally by Santiago for a 34-22 victory Friday night in Garden Grove League play at Garden Grove High.

The Cavaliers (1-7, 1-4) started their comeback at the beginning of the final quarter when Minh Nguyen returned a punt 20 yards to the Pacifica 27.

Geoff Noisey ran 16 yards to the Mariners’ 11. Nguyen scored three plays later on a one-yard, run and Noisey caught the conversion pass from Louie Perez to cut Pacifica’s lead to 28-14.

Then Pacifica quarterback Brian Wolfson fumbled, and Ivan Kim recovered for Santiago at the Mariners’ 31.

Noisey ran 21 yards to the 10, and three plays later Perez sneaked over from the one. Jason Calderwood caught the conversion pass from Perez to cut Pacifica’s lead to 28-22 with 5:35 left.

But Pacifica (5-3, 3-2) put the game away when Matagi Ala caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Wolfson on fourth and eight.

Santiago opened the scoring when Robert Wiemann caught a 28-yard pass from Perez.

Wolfson then hit Vince Murry on a 15-yard touchdown pass play to give Pacifica a 7-6 lead.

Josh Lewis then went to work for Pacifica. Lewis, who gained 159 yards on 21 carries, scored on a 59-yard run and then a 13-yard run.