Cabrillo coach Craig Knowles summed it up perfectly after his Conquistadores fell to Nipomo 37-14 in a Los Padres League football game at Huyck Stadium Friday night.

"That was the worst first half of football we've played so far," he said after the game. "We talked about it before the game too - we have to be emotionally charged from the opening kickoff to the end of the game."

The Conqs played better in the second half but they already trailed 30-0.

In the first half, Cabrillo had no answer for Nipomo running back Eric Penningroth. Because starting quarterback Josh Correia was not in the game for the second week in a row, the Titans ran in a modified Wildcat offense.

Taking several direct snaps from the center in the shotgun position, Penningroth ran for 162 yards on 19 carries in the first half, including one touchdown running and one receiving. He had 38 yards on three receptions in the first.

"We call that the Pennicat offense," said Nipomo head coach Russ Edwards. "Eric's nickname is The Cat, so it's the Pennicat package."

The package worked well against a Cabrillo defense that had a tough time bringing Penningroth down.

In the first half, Nipomo had the ball for over 16 of the 24 minutes.

On the opening drive, the Titans drove 72 yards on 11 plays with Penningroth scoring on a 1-yard run. He also ran in the two-point conversion. After Cabrillo went three-and-out on their first drive, Penningroth caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Devonte Jackson that capped a six-play, 71 yard drive. This time Penningroth hit Duane Hanna with a pass on the two-point conversion.

In the second quarter, Cameron Epley scored on a 4-yard run which ended the longest drive - time-wise - of the night. Starting at their own 35, the Titans took 6:09 off the clock during a 12-play drive.

The final score of the half came after Cabrillo's Fernando Osua missed a 40-yard field goal attempt. Penningroth took a direct snap and ran 78 yards before getting caught at the Cabrillo 1-yard-line.

Following a 3-yard loss, he then hit Derek Pirotte over the middle for a 4-yard TD.

In the third, the Conqs tried for a first down on fourth and less than a yard at their own 43. Kyle Avillanoza was stuffed by the Nipomo defense and on the third play, Jackson hit Penningroth for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

Cabrillo moved the ball better in the second half with Avillanoza getting 46 of his hard-earned 80 yards after the break.

"Kyle ran the hard tonight," Knowles said. "He held on to the football, which is what we wanted him to do.

"I was happy with the way he and (Sisto) Solis ran the ball."

Solis finished with 17 yards on four carries as both runners had most of their yardage between the tackles.

Jordan Watson had 99 yards on seven carries, but was held to minus-4 in the first half. In the fourth quarter, Watson made a spectacular run for the first Cabrillo touchdown. He started around the left end, changed direction, broke free up the middle and scampered down the right sideline for an 80-yard score. That came with 7:56 remaining in the game. Caleb Mickens ran in from 31 yards with 1:26 remaining in the game.

Cabrillo, with its third starting quarterback of the season is still struggling with their new offense, but Knowles sees improvement.

"From where we were even before the Santa Maria game, we are still trying to figure it out and find some momentum and consistency," he explained. "I think we are starting to get it - a little bit. It wasn't a good start tonight, but we're real young on the offensive side of the ball. We're getting there.

The Conqs host Templeton next Friday on Military Appreciation Night.