Defense leads Vista Murrieta past Los Osos
BY LANDON NEGRI This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | Posted: Saturday, September 25, 2010
MURRIETA -- Vista Murrieta's football team isn't firing on all cylinders yet. But the Broncos are getting closer, and at the right time.
On Friday night, their defense was again the catalyst. Vista Murrieta kept Los Osos' offense from scoring and it held the visiting Grizzlies to minus-2 yards rushing in a 30-7 nonleague, homecoming victory.
Jagade Snyder and Larry Parrish each had interceptions, Su'a Cravens added a safety, and defensive lineman Jonathan Sanchez led a unit that kept Los Osos from crossing the Vista Murrieta 40-yard-line until fourth-quarter garbage time.
"Defensively, we're growing every single week," Vista Murrieta coach Coley Candaele said. "Last week (in a victory over Corona Santiago), I think we got the confidence going. ... Now, they're starting to believe a little more in that they know how to play."
Indeed, Los Osos' only touchdown came on Koa Labonta's 90-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. Otherwise, the Broncos blitzed often and ran Los Osos quarterback Kori Grant all over the field and into six negative carries.
"They just came at us, and we couldn't get it picked up," Los Osos coach Tom Martinez said. "They made plays, and we didn't."
On offense, senior quarterback Derrick Brown, hobbled by a sore ankle, completed only 4-of-12 passes, but for 131 yards. Michael Mazur hauled in three of those passes for 115 yards.
The night served as a solid tune-up for what the Broncos hope will be a big week next week against Encino Crespi.
"It was definitely a total effort on defense," Sanchez said. "We need to get the offense to pick it up a little bit, but I think we'll be ready for next week."
The Broncos (3-0), ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Inland Division, buried Los Osos with a 16-point outburst in the second quarter after the two teams tied 7-7 after one frame.
The University of Utah-bound Brown led two scoring drives, capping one with a 3-yard touchdown run with 8:10 left in the half, and the second on a slant-and-go, 60-yard touchdown pass to Mazur with 3:45 left.
Vista Murrieta added a safety for good measure when Cravens sacked Grant in his own end zone just before halftime.
Grant completed 11-of-24 passes for 117 yards, and Los Osos' San Diego State-committed receiver, Paul Pitts, caught just three passes for 41 yards.
"We didn't sustain any drives," said Martinez, who noted that Vista Murrieta's defense was the best he's seen this season. "They did a good job of keeping us from moving the ball."
Brown, meanwhile, finished with 83 yards on 15 carries. Jovonte Slater, while held to minus-3 yards rushing, tallied more than 100 yards in punt returns, including a 52-yard scamper that set up the Broncos' final touchdown on Brown's second rushing touchdown of the night.