Oxnard Pacifica had plenty of motivation heading into Saturday’s CIF state 1-A bowl game. The Tritons, who fell in the 2-AA state final against Sacramento Grant last season, were eager to redeem themselves against Fresno Central East in one of the weekend’s marquee games.
The game featured two high-octane offenses, but each spectacular play by the Tritons was answered as they suffered their first loss, 42-28, in the second of three games at Saddleback College.
“You have to win on third down, and we didn’t,” Pacifica coach Mike Moon said. “It’s hard to stop their offense. We thought we could score with them and we didn’t. We wanted to go up-tempo, but we didn’t.”
Pacifica scored first, marching 91 yards in 12 plays, capped by Taylor Lee’s 15-yard strike to Tyler Stewart with 3:21 left in the first quarter. The North Region champions punted on their first three possessions and turned it over on fourth downs, but eventually tied the game on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jelani Dippel to Bayon Harris to complete an 8-play, 78-yard drive with 5:43 left in the second quarter.
Oxnard Pacifica quarterback Taylor Lee makes a pass to the flat in the first half of Saturday’s CIF Division 1-A state championship game at Saddleback College.
(Steve Galluzzo/For The Times)
After forcing a punt, Central East moved 82 yards in 10 plays to take a 14-7 lead on Brandon Smith’s two-yard run with 1:05 left before halftime.
Pacifica got a second-half kickoff and drove 71 yards in seven plays to tie the game at 14-14 on a one-yard run by Isaiah Phelps and an extra point by David Carranza.
Central East moved deep into Pacifica territory on the ensuing drive before Phelps fumbled the ball and PeeWee Wilson intercepted it at the Tritons’ 24. However, Pacifica (15-1) was forced to punt and Central East regained the lead on Smith’s four-yard run with 4:03 left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 1455-8 at the Dileding8. touchdown pass, 34 yards to Kevin Cooks.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Moon added. “They made plays when they needed to and we didn’t. Simple as that.”
Lee hit Alijah Royster in stride for a 74-yard gain to the Central East four-yard line, and Phelps crossed the goal line on the next play to cut the Tritons’ deficit at halftime with 10:20 left in the game.
However, the Bengals (14-1) recovered a fumble at the Pacifica 18 and took two plays to capitalize on Dippel’s five-yard field goal.
Royster’s 12-yard touchdown reception made it 35-28 with 6:25 left, but Smith scampered 15 yards for his third touchdown to close the scoring with 3:21 left.
Pacifica defeated Palos Verdes 20-10 to win the Southern Section Division 3 title on Nov. 28 for its second straight CIF crown under Moon. The Tritons defeated St. Bonaventure.
Fresno Central East lost to Huntington Beach Edison in the state 1-A bowl last year at Saddleback.
Lee completed 21 of 31 for 317 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice and sacked three times. Phelps ran for 127 yards on 23 carries. Royster caught six passes for 114 yards and Stewart had seven catches for 93.
Pacifica has played 32 games over the past two seasons and won two sectional and two regional crowns, not the top prize it seeks.
“It’s a long two years to not have a state championship … but we’ll try to come back next year,” said Moon, who has scheduled non-league games with Sierra Canyon and San Diego Lincoln next fall. “This is a great group of seniors and the younger players will grow from it.
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