http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_szcFFLWU
Seale rushes into record books in Cougars loss
On a night that was supposed to belong to Escondido’s Ricky Seale, La Costa Canyon had other plans. The Mavericks remained perfect with a convincing 44-24 win on Friday night, overshadowing Seale becoming the section’s all-time leading rusher.
“We beat them twice last year and we beat them in the championship pretty handily. We felt like they were going to come out with some emotion,” said La Costa Canyon receiver Kenny Stills. “We don’t like being disrespected, so we came out fiery and ready to go.”
Seale became the section’s career rushing leader with a 28-yard scoring run on the game’s opening drive. The previous record of 5,650 yards belonged to Cathedral Catholic’s Demetrius Sumler (2002-2005). Seale said he was happy to set the record, but that it definitely would have meant more in a win.
La Costa Canyon (8-0, 3-0 Avocado League) answered Seale’s record-breaking effort just more than a minute later when back Weston Manor ran for a 31-yard touchdown. While Escondido punted on their next two drives, La Costa Canyon found the endzone on each of theirs, and led 20-7 at the end of the first quarter.
“We got weapons. We got a great offense,” said La Costa Canyon head coach Darrin Brown. “We didn’t punt tonight and we executed our gameplan pretty well.”
Escondido (6-1-1, 1-1-1) made it a one-possession game early in the second quarter when Seale scored on a one-yard run. Both of the Cougars early scoring drives featured heavy doses of the wildcat formation, a full house backfield with Seale lined up in the shotgun.
“As the game got into the flow, it started working for us. We came out with it on the first drive with it, and it worked so we just stuck with it,” Seale said. “I love it.”
La Costa Canyon’s offense only needed 39 seconds for an answer in the form of a Seth Hanson 36-yard touchdown run. The Mavericks went into the half with a 27-17 lead.
“If they want to give us the run we’ll take it, if they want to give us the pass we’ll take it,” Brown said.
La Costa Canyon scored on their opening possession of the second half and went ahead 37-17 early in fourth with a Bobby Zalud 41-yard field goal. But Escondido refused to go quietly. On their next play from scrimmage, Cougars quarterback Cruz Navarro found back Tim Zier for an 80-yard touchdown and they were right back in it.
With 3:31 left and trailing by two scores, Escondido saw any hopes of a comeback win vanish. Facing a fourth-and-nine on the La Costa Canyon 20, Seale took the pitch and completed a pass to receiver Bubba Novis in the endzone. But before the Cougars could celebrate, Novis was called for pass interference – a call that did not sit well with the home fans.
“It didn’t go our way,” Seale said. “I guess there was a push – the ref saw it, we didn’t – and what counts out here is the ref’s vision. They saw a push so they took it back. That’s a game-determining moment right there.”
The penalty resulted in a loss of down, which gave the ball to La Costa Canyon. With just less than a minute left, Manor scored a 39-yard touchdown to ice the game.
Manor finished the game with 166 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries and Hansen chipped in with 163 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to pace the Mavericks offense. La Costa Canyon scored on all but two of its drives.
“Our offensive line is an experienced, great group of kids,” Brown said. “They work hard.”
Seale ended up with 209 yards on 39 carries. His career total is now 5,810 yards and counting, with at least three games left in his senior season.
With the win, La Costa Canyon now controls their own destiny in the Avocado League. Not bad for a team that came into the year replacing their offensive and defensive captains.
“We had a great nucleus of kids coming back. They experienced the wins last year and they learned how to win a championship,” Brown said. They brought even better leadership to this football team than we had in the past.”
Escondido running back Ricky Seale (left) and guard Darnell Washington
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_szcFFLWU
Seale rushes into record books in Cougars loss
On a night that was supposed to belong to Escondido’s Ricky Seale, La Costa Canyon had other plans. The Mavericks remained perfect with a convincing 44-24 win on Friday night, overshadowing Seale becoming the section’s all-time leading rusher.
“We beat them twice last year and we beat them in the championship pretty handily. We felt like they were going to come out with some emotion,” said La Costa Canyon receiver Kenny Stills. “We don’t like being disrespected, so we came out fiery and ready to go.”
Seale became the section’s career rushing leader with a 28-yard scoring run on the game’s opening drive. The previous record of 5,650 yards belonged to Cathedral Catholic’s Demetrius Sumler (2002-2005). Seale said he was happy to set the record, but that it definitely would have meant more in a win.
La Costa Canyon (8-0, 3-0 Avocado League) answered Seale’s record-breaking effort just more than a minute later when back Weston Manor ran for a 31-yard touchdown. While Escondido punted on their next two drives, La Costa Canyon found the endzone on each of theirs, and led 20-7 at the end of the first quarter.
“We got weapons. We got a great offense,” said La Costa Canyon head coach Darrin Brown. “We didn’t punt tonight and we executed our gameplan pretty well.”
Escondido (6-1-1, 1-1-1) made it a one-possession game early in the second quarter when Seale scored on a one-yard run. Both of the Cougars early scoring drives featured heavy doses of the wildcat formation, a full house backfield with Seale lined up in the shotgun.
“As the game got into the flow, it started working for us. We came out with it on the first drive with it, and it worked so we just stuck with it,” Seale said. “I love it.”
La Costa Canyon’s offense only needed 39 seconds for an answer in the form of a Seth Hanson 36-yard touchdown run. The Mavericks went into the half with a 27-17 lead.
“If they want to give us the run we’ll take it, if they want to give us the pass we’ll take it,” Brown said.
La Costa Canyon scored on their opening possession of the second half and went ahead 37-17 early in fourth with a Bobby Zalud 41-yard field goal. But Escondido refused to go quietly. On their next play from scrimmage, Cougars quarterback Cruz Navarro found back Tim Zier for an 80-yard touchdown and they were right back in it.
With 3:31 left and trailing by two scores, Escondido saw any hopes of a comeback win vanish. Facing a fourth-and-nine on the La Costa Canyon 20, Seale took the pitch and completed a pass to receiver Bubba Novis in the endzone. But before the Cougars could celebrate, Novis was called for pass interference – a call that did not sit well with the home fans.
“It didn’t go our way,” Seale said. “I guess there was a push – the ref saw it, we didn’t – and what counts out here is the ref’s vision. They saw a push so they took it back. That’s a game-determining moment right there.”
The penalty resulted in a loss of down, which gave the ball to La Costa Canyon. With just less than a minute left, Manor scored a 39-yard touchdown to ice the game.
Manor finished the game with 166 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries and Hansen chipped in with 163 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to pace the Mavericks offense. La Costa Canyon scored on all but two of its drives.
“Our offensive line is an experienced, great group of kids,” Brown said. “They work hard.”
Seale ended up with 209 yards on 39 carries. His career total is now 5,810 yards and counting, with at least three games left in his senior season.
With the win, La Costa Canyon now controls their own destiny in the Avocado League. Not bad for a team that came into the year replacing their offensive and defensive captains.
“We had a great nucleus of kids coming back. They experienced the wins last year and they learned how to win a championship,” Brown said. They brought even better leadership to this football team than we had in the past.”
Escondido running back Ricky Seale (left) and guard Darnell Washington