WESTMINSTER – Marina’s football program entered this season with a rare feeling of optimism.
The Vikings’ 34-25 win over Laguna Hills in a nonleague game Thursday at Westminster High, Marina’s home field, makes them 2-1 and will make that optimism expand.
Marina junior running back Pharoah Rush rushed for 196 yards and three touchdowns on 39 carries. Brant Riederich, a sophomore, rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries for Marina.
The Vikings before this school year were moved from the Sunset League in which they had struggled mightily in football to the newly-created Golden West League Conference for football. (Marina remains in the Sunset League for all other sports except football.)
Marina last qualified for the football playoffs in 2001, before some of the players on this year’s team were born. The Vikings were 0-5 in the Sunset League last year. Three times they allowed more than 50 points in league losses.
They had lost 60 consecutive Sunset League games before beating Fountain Valley in 2016.
So knowing they don’t have to play Edison and Los Alamitos and the other Sunset League teams in a few weeks has lifted the hearts and hopes of those connected to the Marina football program.
“That’s been taken off of them,” said Marina fifth-year coach Jeff Turley, “that worry of what’s ahead of them. It’s allowed them to loosen up and just play.”
Marina, Turley added, usually had enough talent.
“The biggest battle’s always been in here,” said Turley, pointing at his head.
Rush (5-10, 180) explained where the Vikings’ heads are at in 2018.
“We’ve got our minds set on the playoffs,” he said.
They had to get their minds set on figuring out a way to beat Laguna Hills on Thursday. Marina trailed the Hawks (1-1) at halftime 18-8.
Marina decided to lean on the running game in the second half. The Vikings offensive line of Daniel Escamilla, Chase Hoglund, Nick Rakowski, Michael Santillan and Angel Velasco with tight end Richard Rojes asserted itself.
The Vikings took the third quarter-opening kickoff and drove 80 yards on 10 plays, nine of them running plays, with Riederich scoring on a 1-yard dive to slice the Laguna Hills lead to 18-15.
After Marina’s Eric Church made an interception that put Marina at the Laguna Hills 11-yard line, Rush splashed into the end zone on a 1-yard carry to put the Vikings ahead to stay 21-18.
Rush added a 36-yard run to make it 28-18.
Laguna Hills made a run. Mitch Leigber’s third touchdown reception, this one covering 7 yards, from Hawks quarterback Matt Der Torrosian put them back in the game 28-25 with 2:16 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Vikings were able to run out the clock, and on the last play got another touchdown on a 1-yard sneak by receiver/backup quarterback John Robinson.
Laguna Hills coach Mike Maceranka did not appreciate the final-play points and told Turley about it after the game. Turley said he instructed Robinson to take a knee on the final snap, but Maceranka was not convinced. (Robinson did take a knee on the ensuing point-after snap.)
Laguna Hills had taken a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on Jake Woolgar’s 47-yard field goal.
Marina grabbed the lead early in the second quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run by Rush, and Gavin Dykema scored on a two-point conversion run to put the Vikings on top 8-3.
Laguna Hills regained the lead for good with 6:10 to go in the second quarter. Leigber, a sophomore, took a short pass from Der Torossian and ran it the distance for a 50-yard touchdown.
Connor Ahearn caught a pass from Der Torossian for two points to make it 11-8.
The Hawks extended their lead to 18-8 late in the second quarter. Der Torossian lobbed a deep pass down the left sideline that Leigber caught in stride, over the shoulder, for a 72-yard touchown.
Laguna Hills, which beat University 46-6 last week, plays host to Saddleback Valley Christian on Sept. 7. Marina, which two weeks ago lost in Florida to South Broward of Florida and beat Torrance 31-0 last week, plays Katella at Westminster High on Sept. 7.
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