Esperanza Is Sharp Enough to Blunt Marina’s Upset Bid

WESTMINSTER — Esperanza didn’t play well enough to impress Coach Gary Meek, but the Aztecs were good enough to lock up a share of the Sunset League title with a 28-7 victory over Marina Friday at Westminster High.

“We weren’t very sharp, but we were sharp enough to win,” Meek said. “We’ve had some tough games the past four or five weeks and it’s showing.”

Esperanza (7-2, 4-0) took a 7-0 lead with 1 minute 55 seconds left in the first quarter. Grant Wagner connected with Aaron Hill on a screen pass, and Hill went between two defenders and scored from 32 yards.

Marina (5-3-1, 1-2-1) immediately threatened, driving to the Aztec 14. Scot Austin’s pass to Donald Lank in the end zone was intercepted by Mike Harrison. Lank, the Vikings’ only deep threat, injured his right leg on the play and did not return.

Esperanza increased the lead to 14-0 on another Wagner-to-Hill connection and took that lead into the locker room.

After Marina’s halftime homecoming festivities, the Vikings moved the ball to the Esperanza 30 before fumbling it away. After getting the ball back, Marina ground out an 80-yard touchdown drive. Austin (99 yards rushing) went up the middle from the two-yard line for the score, making it 14-7 with 9:55 left in the game.

Brent Garrison quashed any thought of a Marina rally, though. Garrison went 76 yards on the next play from scrimmage to make it 21-7. Another Austin fumble gave the ball back to Esperanza, and Wagner ran another four minutes off the clock before finding Matt Colin on a nine-yard scoring pass with 4:27 left.

Marina will try to keep its hopes for an at-large playoff spot alive Friday when the Vikings take on Edison (5-3-1, 1-3). “I think if we beat Edison, we’ve got a shot,” Coach Mark Rehling said. “With wins over Los Alamitos, St. John Bosco and Edison, I think they’d have to look at us.”