9/8/02 CARLSBAD -- As advertised.
La Costa Canyon quarterback Kevin O'Connell threw for four first half touchdowns to lead his Mavericks to a 57-7 win over Cabrillo in a prep football season opener Friday evening.
O'Connell, a 6-foot-5 senior who has been offered a gridiron scholarship by San Diego State, found Mike Lackey on a 57-yard scoring play late in the first quarter to tie the game.
In the second quarter he tossed for 40- and 33-yard TDs to Andrew Nacario and an 11-yarder to Bill Cottam.
O'Connell's fourth scoring strike left things 38-7 at the half.
"He's a good athlete," Cabrillo coach Patt Foster said of O'Connell. "He's mechanically sound as a quarterback.
"We frustrated him early, sacked him a couple of times. But then we made a few mistakes," Foster said.
Cabrillo's score came on the Conquistadores' second possession. Quarterback Matt Hansen hooked up with receiver Ryan Herard on an 87-yard six-pointer and Eric Wilson kicked the extra.
At this juncture it was La Costa Canyon making the mistakes and Cabrillo capitalizing. "Their safety broke on the wrong coverage," said Foster. "Then Matt made a nice throw and Herard broke a couple tackles and outran everybody."
La Costa began to get back after a Cabrillo turnover led to the initial Maverick score. Four fumbles later the floodgates were officially open and closed and the game was all but over.
"We weren't overpowered," said Foster. "We had breakdowns. They're a solid veteran team and they took advantage.
"But our mistakes are correctable. Just assignment errors. I'd love to play them again."
Cabrillo is at Atascadero Friday. Kickoff is slated for 7:30.
Footnotes: Nestled at the edge of the foothills in Carlsbad, La Costa Canyon is a six-year-old school with nice facilities. "It's a junior-college-style setup," said Foster...The crowd was estimated at 3,000-to-4,000...Cabrillo lineman Jeff Haley-Schaeffer suffered a knee injury while scrambling to the ball on defense. The extent of the injury is not yet known...
Morro Bay 17, Shafter 0
At Morro Bay Friday, Cabrillo's Los Padres League buddies opened with a shutout win.
Shafter played tough defense, keeping Morro Bay's star running back Joe Garcia out of the end zone in the first half.
The Pirates scored early on a 35-yard field goal and an interception by Cody Faust. Garcia, who wound up with 128 yards in 15 carries, tallied on a 33-yard run in the third quarter.
Jeff Watkins rushed for 168 yards in 14 carries for Shafter.
Morro Bay is at Carpinteria Friday.
Alan Hunt can be reached at 805-736-2313, ext. 107 or alhunt@pulitzer.net
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