Torrey Pines Jr Midgets (D2) defeat the Carlsbad Lancers 16-0
By Bill Butler
The Torrey Pines Falcons outplayed the Carlsbad Lancers in all phases of the game in a weekend match at Falcons Stadium. The Lancers received the opening kickoff and managed one first down before turning the ball over to the Falcons near midfield. Staying primarily on the ground, the Falcons marched down the field behind the runs of Jackie Plashkes, Zac Friedland, Beau Morgans, and Nick Clapp, a Conner Whitton to Scotty Gange pass, and a QB keeper by Whitton. The Falcons marched inside the Carlbad 10-yard line before the Lancers’ defense stiffened, and there was a turnover on downs. Carlsbad could not move the ball, as the Falcon line of Kevin Misak, Tucker Pike, Jack Nelson, CJ Ackell, and Nick Zimmer were applying strong pressure on the Lancers.
Anything that got past the line was promptly dropped by Torrey Pines’ fine group of linebackers and defensive backs, namely Louie Bickett, Garth Erdossy, and Plashkes flanked by Clapp, Brandon Ray, and Morgans. The Lancers were forced to punt from their end zone. Friedland took the punt at the 43, started right and then cut left behind good blocking, broke a few arm tackles, and finished the return in the end zone to give the Falcons a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter. Ray snapped for the extra point try, Whitton held, and Pike kicked it true to make the early lead 8-0. The Lancers put forth a strong effort to move the ball from inside their own 20 yard line to midfield but could move no farther. Torrey Pines took over at midfield as time was expiring in the first half. A couple of passes were just out of reach, and the half ended with the ball near midfield.
Clapp took the kickoff for the second half back to the Lancer 47-yard line on a nice return up the middle of the field. Jake Boone then took the handoff and ran hard up the middle for 13 yards and a first down at the 34. At that point, the drive stalled as the QB had to throw the pass away or take a sack, a run lost a yard, and a second pass was off target. Pike punted the ball out of bounds at the 20-yard line as the ball skidded off the side of his foot. On first down, Carlsbad picked up 5 yards on a nice run, but the defense stacked up a run for no gain, as Zimmer, Pike, and Bickett met the runner at the line. A pass was overthrown, and Carlsbad punted out of bounds at their own 39. A run gained one yard and a pass fell incomplete before the Falcons executed a nice pitch to Friedland headed left. He cut the run inside and ran past the defenders for 38 yards and a TD. Another well executed extra point try made the score 16-0, Falcons.
That would be the final score, as Carlbad could mount no sustained drives. The Falcons were marching just before the game ended, biting off large hunks of yards on the ground, but they let the clock expire with the ball on the Lancer 5-yard line. The Falcons will meet a good team from Oceanside on the Pirates’ field next week.