TEMECULA — San Juan Hills’ first half against Great Oak was inconsistent and mistake-filled. Head coach Rob Frith challenged his offensive line in a spirited halftime discussion.
Challenge accepted.
The Stallions got physical in the second half, breaking down the smaller Wolfpack line, and the result was a 24-0 win for the visitors.
Senior running back Chase Monarch carried the ball 20 times for 153 yards and a touchdown while senior fullback Steven Margaretis chipped in with 62 yards on 13 carries and a score as the offensive line took the halftime challenge and ran with it.
“We said we’re done being pretty, we’re done being cute, we’re going to go old school and get after it,” Frith said. “Just win the battle up front. Win the individual battle. Give the running back a crease and let him do his thing.”
While the running game for San Juan Hills (3-3) came alive in the second half, the Stallions defense came to play all night. They held Great Oak (1-4) to 50 yards from scrimmage and only four first downs. It’s hard to move the ball when you’ve started five different offensive lines in five games as the Wolfpack has done.
“We have some young guys who are playing hard and some seniors who have stepped up their leadership,” Great Oak head coach Robbie Robinson said. “We’re a work in progress. Hopefully this got us ready for league next week.”
Junior running back James Mullen II carried the load offensively for the Wolfpack as he turned 13 carries into 48 yards.
Perhaps the Stallions’ most impressive drive didn’t even net points. Pinned at their own 4-yard line in their first drive of the second half, they ran off a 15-play drive that ended on Great Oak’s 2-yard line. Monarch ran eight times for 74 yards on the drive.
“That’s all integrity,” Monarch said. “We wanted it more than they wanted it and it showed. This game we went 100 percent and realized our full potential.”
That drive stalled but it quickly turned into a safety as the ball was snapped over the Great Oak punter’s head four plays later.
“We realized we were tiring them out,” Margaretis said. “We just needed to pull it together and close it out and we did that.”
The visitors closed out the scoring when Jake Hall intercepted Gavin Vida’s pass and returned it 37 yards for a pick six on a 4th-and 4 play.
The Wolfpack defense did its part to stay in the game as Evan Etheridge and Daniel Ganino (sack) recorded key interceptions to halt San Juan Hills drives. Senior linebacker Preston Toner chipped in with four tackles for loss.
“Our defense is playing great,” Robinson said. “We were just on the field for too long. When you’re undersized like we were against them, you’re on the field for probably 80-90 plays and you wear down.”
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