Pacifica Pounds Away at Garden Grove, 50-0

GARDEN GROVE —  Pacifica Coach Bill Craven was worried just how the Mariners were going to respond Friday night against Garden Grove, after back-to-back weeks in which his team had what he called “heart-breaking losses.”

It was clear after the 50-0 rout that Craven’s worrying was all for naught.

First, the Mariners got two first-quarter touchdowns from running back Frankie Morieda on their way to a 37-point halftime advantage. They cruised from there.

Second, even Garden Grove Coach Kris Van Hook said the Argonauts played as if they wanted to be somewhere else.

With the outcome so crucial to both teams’ postseason chances, it was surprising just how out of it Garden Grove was. Pacifica (4-2-2, 2-2) established itself as the front-runner for the Garden Grove League’s third playoff spot. Garden Grove (2-5-1, 1-2-1), which had 33 total yards and three turnovers, will need some help down the road in the final two weeks of the season.

On paper, this one looked to be close after Garden Grove surprised Bolsa Grande, 32-15, last week. But despite having superior speed, its offensive line was out-played Pacifica sacked Garden Grove quarterback Rick Welty seven times for 45 yards in losses and intercepted two of his passes. Garden Grove’s deepest penetration came on its last series when it marched from its 30 to the Pacifica 16 against Mariners’ reserves.

“They beat us in every phase of the game,” Van Hook said. “They out-played us and out-coached us and did everything they had to win.”

It didn’t help, either, when Garden Grove lost starting running back Robert Stebbins, who injured his ribs just before halftime. He finished with 15 rushing yards in seven carries, a bright spot for Garden Grove.

Led by cornerback Kevin Johansen and linemen Jon Guenther, Ramez Ammari and Willis Manley, Pacifica blitzed Welty often and controlled the line of scrimmage. Craven used reserves most of the second half.

Craven said he wasn’t sure just what his team’s demeanor would be after a 26-7 loss to Los Amigos and a 36-21 defeat to fourth-ranked Rancho Alamitos.

“This was a crucial game for us in that we lost two big games and we told the kids that our backs were to the wall,” Craven said. “We told them that if we were to have any chance for the playoffs we needed to win this one.”