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Pirates win second state title in three years
For the second time in three seasons, Oceanside is bringing a state title back to San Diego. The Pirates overcame a slow start in the Division I State Bowl to beat Bellarmine (San Jose) 24-19 in a physical, gritty contest Friday night at the Home Depot Center.
“We’re going to find as many ways to celebrate this as we can,” said Oceanside head coach John Carroll. “I think we’ll celebrate for a month.”
Oceanside (14-0) escaped with a win after holding off a Bellarmine rally in the final minutes. With 20 seconds left, and the Bells facing fourth down at the Oceanside 40-yard line, Pirates linebacker Rene Siluano knocked down a pass over the middle to preserve the victory.
“Defense wins championships,” said Oceanside defensive back/receiver Jerry Whittaker. “We knew our defense had to make the play at the end.”
In the beginning of the game, Oceanside’s defense was pushed around by Bellarmine (11-2-1) and their double wing offense.
After the Pirates scored on the game’s opening drive, the Bells moved the ball methodically down the field on the ground, scoring touchdowns on consecutive drives of 13 and 14 plays that ate up more than 14 minutes of clock.
“They kept pounding it without running too many different plays,” Whittaker said. “It was the same play but they kept getting their basic 4-by-4 yards.”
Late in the second quarter, Bellarmine had all the momentum after Kristoffer Olugbode blocked an Oceanside field goal. The Pirates were down 13-3 and in need of a big play.
On the next play, their defense obliged. Pirates linebacker Markis Tokio stripped Bellarmine running back Kyle Olugbode and linebacker Jake Fely snatched the ball out of midair and took it to the Bells’ four-yard line. Oceanside running back Noah Tarrant punched the ball in from four yards out on the next play and the Pirates trailed by three at halftime.
“It got momentum back on our side,” Carroll said of the turnover. “We weren’t playing very well and we were making mistakes. We finished the first half the way we wanted to start it.”
Oceanside stopped Bellarmine on the opening drive of the second half. On that possession, the Pirates wanted to make it clear they weren’t going to be pushed around.
“It was getting used to the offense and we made a couple of adjustments in the attacking nature of the defense,” Carroll said. “We made some motion blitz adjustments and it helped us out in the second half.”
The Pirates took the lead on the ensuing possession on a 17-play, 99-yard drive that spanned 7:35. The drive was capped when quarterback Quentis Clark found Whittaker in the corner of the endzone for a 13-yard score.
“We didn’t come back and play incredible in the second half, but we certainly outplayed them and did what we wanted to do,” Carroll said.
After Oceanside’s defense forced a three and out, the Pirates needed just two plays to take a two score lead. Clark hit Siluano on an inside screen and Siluano ran 55 yards through the Bellarmine defense for a touchdown with 7:25 left.
“I thought it was going to be batted down. I was running down the line, the guy blocked my view and I didn’t know where the ball was,” Siluano said. “It flashed right before by eyes when the defender moved left. I caught it and I just saw daylight. The thing that made that play was the line – all I did was run.”
Bellarmine made it a five-point game with 2:31 to play when quarterback Mike McGovern found Kyle Olugbode for a 14-yard score. And the Bells got another chance after and Oceanside punt, but the Pirates defense got the needed stop.
For the second straight game, Oceanside won with substance over style. For a team that came in with an average margin of victory of 30 points per game, the Pirates showed they could deliver in a close game.
“We won by such big scores for so many times that at times it takes the edge off of how you play in a tight game,” Carroll said. “But we sure as heck proved ourselves tonight.”
Clark finished 13-for-20 passing for 167 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and Siluano led all receivers with 89 yards. Oceanside won despite having the ball for half as long as Bellarmine.
“They came out in the first half and they were punching us in the mouth and we were taking it like a heavyweight matchup,” Whittaker said. “But in the second half we wanted to match them physically and it showed.”
The Pirates are now 2-for-2 in state bowls, also winning in 2007. As one of the best teams in the San Diego Section, Oceanside represents the section well.
“That’s what we want to do. We want to come out here and represent Oceanside, San Diego County and SoCal,” Whittaker said. “This opens it up for more San Diego teams to come out here and play.
Oceanside has a 39-game unbeaten streak dating back to 2007. Over the past four seasons, the Pirates have won four section and two state titles.
“What we have done this year cannot be topped. It can be met at the level we did it, but it can never be topped,” said Oceanside senior Rene Siluano. “The way we play on the field with the pride we have and the way we play the game – that Pirate pride sinks in.”
Pirates win second state title in three years
For the second time in three seasons, Oceanside is bringing a state title back to San Diego. The Pirates overcame a slow start in the Division I State Bowl to beat Bellarmine (San Jose) 24-19 in a physical, gritty contest Friday night at the Home Depot Center.
“We’re going to find as many ways to celebrate this as we can,” said Oceanside head coach John Carroll. “I think we’ll celebrate for a month.”
Oceanside (14-0) escaped with a win after holding off a Bellarmine rally in the final minutes. With 20 seconds left, and the Bells facing fourth down at the Oceanside 40-yard line, Pirates linebacker Rene Siluano knocked down a pass over the middle to preserve the victory.
“Defense wins championships,” said Oceanside defensive back/receiver Jerry Whittaker. “We knew our defense had to make the play at the end.”
In the beginning of the game, Oceanside’s defense was pushed around by Bellarmine (11-2-1) and their double wing offense.
After the Pirates scored on the game’s opening drive, the Bells moved the ball methodically down the field on the ground, scoring touchdowns on consecutive drives of 13 and 14 plays that ate up more than 14 minutes of clock.
“They kept pounding it without running too many different plays,” Whittaker said. “It was the same play but they kept getting their basic 4-by-4 yards.”
Late in the second quarter, Bellarmine had all the momentum after Kristoffer Olugbode blocked an Oceanside field goal. The Pirates were down 13-3 and in need of a big play.
On the next play, their defense obliged. Pirates linebacker Markis Tokio stripped Bellarmine running back Kyle Olugbode and linebacker Jake Fely snatched the ball out of midair and took it to the Bells’ four-yard line. Oceanside running back Noah Tarrant punched the ball in from four yards out on the next play and the Pirates trailed by three at halftime.
“It got momentum back on our side,” Carroll said of the turnover. “We weren’t playing very well and we were making mistakes. We finished the first half the way we wanted to start it.”
Oceanside stopped Bellarmine on the opening drive of the second half. On that possession, the Pirates wanted to make it clear they weren’t going to be pushed around.
“It was getting used to the offense and we made a couple of adjustments in the attacking nature of the defense,” Carroll said. “We made some motion blitz adjustments and it helped us out in the second half.”
The Pirates took the lead on the ensuing possession on a 17-play, 99-yard drive that spanned 7:35. The drive was capped when quarterback Quentis Clark found Whittaker in the corner of the endzone for a 13-yard score.
“We didn’t come back and play incredible in the second half, but we certainly outplayed them and did what we wanted to do,” Carroll said.
After Oceanside’s defense forced a three and out, the Pirates needed just two plays to take a two score lead. Clark hit Siluano on an inside screen and Siluano ran 55 yards through the Bellarmine defense for a touchdown with 7:25 left.
“I thought it was going to be batted down. I was running down the line, the guy blocked my view and I didn’t know where the ball was,” Siluano said. “It flashed right before by eyes when the defender moved left. I caught it and I just saw daylight. The thing that made that play was the line – all I did was run.”
Bellarmine made it a five-point game with 2:31 to play when quarterback Mike McGovern found Kyle Olugbode for a 14-yard score. And the Bells got another chance after and Oceanside punt, but the Pirates defense got the needed stop.
For the second straight game, Oceanside won with substance over style. For a team that came in with an average margin of victory of 30 points per game, the Pirates showed they could deliver in a close game.
“We won by such big scores for so many times that at times it takes the edge off of how you play in a tight game,” Carroll said. “But we sure as heck proved ourselves tonight.”
Clark finished 13-for-20 passing for 167 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and Siluano led all receivers with 89 yards. Oceanside won despite having the ball for half as long as Bellarmine.
“They came out in the first half and they were punching us in the mouth and we were taking it like a heavyweight matchup,” Whittaker said. “But in the second half we wanted to match them physically and it showed.”
The Pirates are now 2-for-2 in state bowls, also winning in 2007. As one of the best teams in the San Diego Section, Oceanside represents the section well.
“That’s what we want to do. We want to come out here and represent Oceanside, San Diego County and SoCal,” Whittaker said. “This opens it up for more San Diego teams to come out here and play.
Oceanside has a 39-game unbeaten streak dating back to 2007. Over the past four seasons, the Pirates have won four section and two state titles.
“What we have done this year cannot be topped. It can be met at the level we did it, but it can never be topped,” said Oceanside senior Rene Siluano. “The way we play on the field with the pride we have and the way we play the game – that Pirate pride sinks in.”