Westminster ‘Committee’ Too Much for Bolsa Grande

Westminster had a 1,000-yard rusher last year in Erik Arthur, but Coach Ted McMillen admits it’s unlikely the Lions will be so blessed this season. He will instead have a “running back by committee.”

Saturday, that committee was in session, and the Lions scored a 24-6 nonleague football victory over Bolsa Grande in both teams’ season opener at Westminster.

Maurice Cureton rushed nine times for 95 yards and two touchdowns and Mike Pope ran eight times for 57 and both contributed to a strong defensive performance from the secondary.

The Lions’ defense clamped down on the county’s most celebrated quarterback, Doug Baughman (15 of 26, one interception, 197 yards), who passed for a state-record 569 yards in a game last year.

Baughman, with 57 career touchdowns, needed 17 to reach Todd Marinovich’s county record. Though he added one scoring pass against Westminster--a 16-yard completion to Tam Huynh--it came with his team trailing by 21.

“We didn’t know much about [Baughman], but our feeling was, ‘Don’t let him hurt us,’ ” McMillen said. “If they would have had a great running game. . . .”

But Bolsa Grande didn’t and so Westminster defenders teed off on Baughman, sacking him four times (two by Javier Mora), and rushing him several other times.

“When you don’t protect him, he can’t throw it,” said Steve Howard, Bolsa Grande’s first-year coach. “We just have to be tougher.”

Pope’s interception set up Westminster’s first score, an eight-yard run by Cureton. And though it wasn’t by design, Daniel Sanchez mis-kicked the ensuing kickoff and the Lions recovered at the Bolsa Grande 35. Kelly Coburn, who added a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, passed 10 yards to Tommy Roberts to make it 14-0.

Coburn completed 10 of 20 for 116 yards and one touchdown.

On their third drive, the Lions converted a fourth-and-13 at the 28 with Coburn’s 19-yard pass to tight end Junior Tau, and Cureton scored from the one.