Shawn Hobson ……SAN MARCOS – There’s a song by Katy Perry that could easily be played at Vista High School football games this season: “Hot N Cold.” The team has built a reputation for playing hot one week, cold the next.
Last weekend, the Panthers pulled off a huge 38-0 upset win over El Camino High. But Friday night’s game went the other way.
Vista’s defense had trouble stopping San Marcos High, allowing the Knights to score on their first three possessions. San Marcos built a lead that would not be relinquished, and the Knights came away with a 32-21 victory.
Photos by Jim Norkus
“Like I told the kids, consistency is key to success,” Vista head coach Dan Williams said after the loss. “We get up for one game, and then we can’t play the next.”
Williams may have taken the Avocado East League game a little hard; his team played better than it had in three shutout losses earlier this season. And even though the Panthers started cold Friday, they warmed up and fought back.
The Knights (6-2 overall, 3-0 league) led 25-0 before the Vista defense finally stopped its opponent’s offense from reaching the end zone, forcing a punt. The Panthers offense responded with a 88-yard drive, capped by a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback Brandon Price with just 32 seconds left before halftime.
At the break, the score was 25-7. Vista (3-5 overall, 1-1 league) not only had momentum, it would have the ball to start the second half.
But Vista’s first-half offensive momentum did not carry over. The San Marcos defense forced the Panthers to punt on their next two possessions.
“We did alright in the first half,” San Marcos defensive coordinator Eric Jorgensen said. “Vista is a good team, and they’re always tough, with good, big guys. We need to get better at defending the option, because they did a good job at scheming us.”
Vista had trouble defending against the Knights’ potent passing attack. San Marcos quarterback Bryson Bolin threw three touchdown passes and rushed for one. The junior went 24-for-30 with 333 yards.
Knights’ star player Terrell Burgess scored two TDs in the first quarter, rushing for a 72-yard TD and catching a 40-yard TD pass. San Marcos tallied four touchdowns before the Panthers landed on the scoreboard.
“It was poor tackling,” Williams said of his defense’s struggle early in the game. “When you don’t tackle, you don’t win.”
The Panthers trailed 32-7 but racked up two touchdowns in the waning moments of the game – including one that came with 1:13 left to play, when running back Josh Ketcher reached paydirt with a 7-yard run. Vista’s defense recovered a fumble shortly thereafter and – with 20 seconds left to play – Price threw a 27-yard TD pass to Zach Morel.
The Panthers next game is at Mission Hills on Oct. 30.
“Our goal for next week is to stay healthy,” Williams said. “They have a really good quarterback.”
Mission Hills is the No. 1 ranked team in the CIF San Diego Section
VALLEY CENTER 28, RANCHO BUENA VISTA 17
At Rancho Buena Vista, the Rancho Buena Vista High football team suffered a non-league loss to the visiting Jaguars (5-3). The Longhorns (0-8) are still looking for their first win of the 2015 season with two games left to play. RBV hosts Del Norte next Friday (Oct. 30).
Vista…………..0……7…..0…..14 – 21
San Marcos…19……6…..7…….0 – 32
First Quarter
SM – Bolin 41 run (pass failed), 9:13
SM – Burgess 72 run (pass failed), 3:57
SM – Burgess 40 pass from Bolin (Liss kick), 1:24
Second Quarter
SM – Rogers 21 run (pass failed), 7:35
V – Price 7 run (Stalter kick), 32 sec.
Third Quarter
SM – Teets 11 pass from Bolin (Liss kick), 45 sec.
Fourth Quarter
V – Ketcher 7 run (Stalter kick), 1:13
V – Morel 27 pass from Price (Stalter kick), 20 sec.
Team Statistics
Total Yards: Vista 367, San Marcos 522. Passing: Vista 146. San Marcos 369. Rushing: Vista 221, San Marcos, 153. First Downs: Vista 17, San Marcos 20. Penalties: Vista 5-50, San Marcos 8-70. Turnovers: Vista 1, San Marcos 1. Records: Vista 3-5 overall, 1-1 league. San Marcos 6-2 overall, 3-0 league.
Individual Statistics
PASSING: Vista: Price 6-14-146-1. San Marcos: Bolin 24-30-333-0, Hodson 1-1-36-0. RUSHING: Vista: Price 17-85, Hopkins 9-38, Ketcher 11-86, Rosas 4-12, Trevino 1-0. San Marcos: Rogers 10-31, Bolin 6-36, Burgess 1-72, Tabares 1-7, Bornes 1-4, Staggs 1-3. RECEIVING: Vista: Hopkins 1-3, Morel 4-119, Davis 1-24. San Marcos: Philips 9-106, Burgess 6-127, Grasser 1-36, Graven 2-33, Teets 4-44, Rogers 3-20.
Contact Shawn Hobson at sportswriter@sbcglobal.net. Follow him on Twitter @HOBMediaWorks.
