California: Oceanside Locketts up DII Crown

By Mitch Stephens

MaxPreps.com

CARSON, Calif. - Oceanside's football team was looking for a spark, a flicker, a BIC lighter - anything that would ignite the Pirates from the smothering blanket that was Novato.

Senior cornerback Tyrone Lockett provided it with an interception and 75-yard return to the Novato 3 and on the next play, Armani Taylor scored the game tying touchdown with 4 minutes, 7 seconds left in the third quarter.

With a new light, the Pirates put it away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns en route to a 28-14 victory in the CIF State Bowl Division II title game Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

Another interception and long return - this one by J.J. Whitaker - set up the go-ahead score, an 11-yard pass from Jordan Wynn to Frank Zimmerman - his second TD of the game - with 10:19 remaining.

Taylor put the game way with a 4-yard TD with 1:12 left as the Pirates halted Novato's 25-game winning streak.

It was the second 25-game streak Oceanside (12-1) halted this season after stopping Carlsbad in an Avocado League game in October.

"We needed something to wake us up and (Lockett) really did that," Oceanside coach John Carroll said. "He made a great break on the ball and after that the kids really responded."

Novato (13-1), considered a big underdog, had fought back from a 7-0 deficit and taken a 14-7 lead and had control of the game and ball right before the pivotal play.

The Hornets chewed up more than five minutes of the third quarter on a 50-yard drive when on third-and-8 from the Oceanside 29, junior quarterback Jeff Stephens tried to hit Mike Polvere on an out pattern in front of the Novato bench.

But Polvere slipped, Lockett made a great break on the ball and picked it off. He raced down the sideline before being caught by offensive lineman Andrew Ratto.

Said Lockett: "Coaches told me at halftime that I needed to trust my instincts and go for the ball. That's what I did on that play. I tried to get to the house but the dude caught me."

No matter.

On the next play, Taylor, who came in with 1,790 yards and 25 touchdowns, virtually walked into the end zone over the right side, tying the game.

"Give that kid (Lockett) credit, he made a hell of a play," Brackett said.

Stephens, who left game late in the second quarter after injuring his ankle on the second play of the second quarter, was intercepted on the next possession on a deep ball down the middle.

Whitaker, a 5-foot-8, 150-pound sophomore, made a superb return of 33 yards to the Novato 42.

After a short run and 29-yard completion to Lamont Enyard, Wynn found Zimmerman on a quick slant of 11 yards and the Pirates were up for good.

"I think we underestimated those guys (Novato) a bit after we took the quick lead," said Wynn, who was 13 of 26 for 182 yards and two scores. "We thought we could score that easy every time. Once we got the lead back we weren't going to give it up."

Novato drove from its own 18 to the Oceanside 34 but the drive stall and after a delay penalty, the Hornets punted and Oceanside took over from its own 25.

Nine players later keyed by a 41-yard reception to Enyard, Taylor put the game away with a 4-yard run.

Taylor, who came in with 1,790 yards and 25 scores, was contained most of the night with 17 carries for 64 yards, but he scored when the Pirates needed him to.

"As long as we get the win and the title that's all I care about," Taylor said.

Said Brackett: "The kids left it all on the field. We showed a lot of heart but we lost to a great team."

Oceanside showed that early, going 70 yards on its first possession on nine plays capped with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Zimmerman, who set up his own score with a 25-yard reception on third-and-5 from the 48.

"It came too easy," Carroll said. "I think we let up and underestimated them."

Not a good idea against the scrappy Hornets.

They went 73 yards 10 plays, capped with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Stephens to Jose Mendez, tying the game at 7-7 with 9:11 left in the second quarter.

"We just needed to settle down," Stephens said.

But Stephens suffered a high ankle sprain on the fifth play of the drive and his ability to run any option plays was diminished the rest of the night.

"He showed a lot of guts going out there," Brackett said.

Said Stephens: "It hurt a lot but this was for the state championship. I had to go back out there."

He needed to when Polvere forced a fumble and Diego Velasquez recovered at the Oceanside 39. A 37-yard pass from Stephens to Ian Von Tellrop set up a 1-yard TD plunge by Stephens, giving the Hornets a 14-7 lead with 5:41 left in the half.

"It seemed like had them where we wanted," said Novato cornerback Kirk Pingatore, who despite having a dislocated elbow had an interception.

Indeed, the Hornets defense, which gave up just 11.2 points a game coming in, stopped Oceanside on six straight possessions.

But that's when Lockett came to the rescue with his interception and return.

"We needed a big play and I'm just glad I was the guy to do it," Lockett said.

So are the Pirates.

They gave up just 54 yards and forced three turnovers in the second half.

"We went into the locker room with the attitude that we were going to shut them down in the second half," said senior linebacker Matt Segi, who along with Lockett led his team with eight tackles. "No way were we going to give it up after working so hard to get here."

Said Taylor: "This was like winning the Super Bowl for Oceanside." 

E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.