By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Like a natural disaster or 10-car pile-up, everyone sought an explanation.
How in the avocado pit could Oceanside so thoroughly dominate Carlsbad - the state's 14th-ranked team according to MaxPreps.com - in a 31-7 victory Friday night in both teams' Avocado League opener?
Perhaps it was Carlsbad's 25-game unbeaten string that inspired the Pirates to limit the Lancers to a scant 82 yards and six first downs.
Maybe it was last year's salty 10-10 deadlock at Carlsbad that motivated workhorse Armani Taylor to ignore a pinched nerve in his neck and rush 23 times for 111 yards and four touchdowns.
Perhaps coach John Carroll's return to the sideline - he was forced to the press box the previous four games because of a severe calf injury and blood clotting - lit a fire under the Pirates, who piled up 397 yards and 20 first downs behind a physical offensive line and a workmanlike passing game from junior quarterback Jordan Wynn (17 of 28, 220 yards).
Maybe it was:
The extra bright television lights - the game was telecast live locally on Cox Cable.
The bitter rivalry between neighboring North San Diego County communities
The barely visible 3.9 percent moon.
Jessica Alba's breakup with Cash Warren.
Or maybe it's just that Oceanside is just that good.
The Pirates (5-1), ranked 30th in the state coming in, have won three consecutive San Diego Section Division II titles after all, and since a nightmarish first half in their season-opening loss to Helix-La Mesa, they've outscored foes 206-80.
Carroll, the 19-year coach sporting a single crutch to support a torn right calf muscle suffered while taking a sideline hit against Helix (man, that was a bad night), wasn't prepared to offer any all-knowing insight.
He just thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was the worst league defeat for Carlsbad since a 49-14 setback to Torrey Pines in 1998. The Lancers have won the past two SDS Division I titles.
"I'm definitely having fun and smiling on the inside," he said.
Considering he's led the Pirates to seven section titles and 18 consecutive postseasons he's had plenty to smile about.
Considering the opponent and Carlsbad's unbeaten streak, was this as good as it gets?
"We've had some good ones over the years and this one was definitely one of those," he said.
After pausing a second he added: "Check that. This is one of the great ones."
Taylor, a rugged and slashing 6-foot, 200-pound senior, said the Pirates even surprised the Pirates.
He scored on touchdown runs of 1, 15, 7 and 1 yards and now has 749 yards rushing and 13 scores on the year.
"That's a great team we just beat," he said. "And we beat them by that score? No one expected that. Not against Carlsbad. We just came out and played physical. We came out and played Oceanside football."
Did breaking the streak play a role?
"Of course the streak was in the back of our minds, but more so we focused on playing a team that was 5-0 this year," Taylor said. "That deserved our attention."
The fact Oceanside rolled up almost 400 yards against Carlsbad's stout defense was startling.
But the team's defense effort, led by linemen Josh Fely, William Buttler and Erik Middleton, linebackers Justin Vaeena, Jake Fely and Gary Stevenson and safety Rene Siluano (interception), was astounding.
The Pirates would have pitched a shutout but a halfback option pass play from Roy Tialavea went astray late in the first quarter.
It was intercepted by Carlsbad senior defensive back Michael Vandenkolk, who made an excellent break on the ball, and returned 50 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 with 2:46 left.
Taylor broke three tackles en route to a 15-yard TD scamper around right end early in the second quarter and Oceanside was really never threatened after that.
"Tried to get too fancy," Carroll said of the halfback option pass. "That was on me. Then again, if it goes for a TD people would still be patting me on the back."
The Pirates put Carlsbad on its back throughout, limiting the Lancers to just 29 yards rushing on 16 carries.
Nick Pascarella, who came in 505 yards rushing and six touchdowns, managed just 34 on 13 carries. Senior quarterback Justin Morales completed only underneath stuff and was 9 of 22 for 53 yards.
"The streak was fun while it lasted but I don't want to feel a loss like this ever again," Carlsbad coach Bob McAllister. "Oceanside was just ready for us tonight. Give them all the credit."
The Pirates set the tone from the start, taking the opening kickoff and charging 63 yards in eight plays, capped by a 1-yard TD plunge from Taylor.
Wynn, who spread the ball around beautifully throughout, keyed the drive with a 22-yard completion to Tialavea on the game's first play. A 22-yard run by David Gutierrez on third-and-1 was another big play.
"We came in with a real good game plan and our offensive line just made everything work," Wynn said. "Their execution was perfect."
Following Vandenkolk's interception return, the Pirates shot themselves in the foot once more when a 51-yard touchdown jaunt by Taylor was wiped out by penalty.
Taylor was sprung by a terrific seal block by the team's top receiver and possible recruit Lamont Enyard (6-4, 220). But Enyard eventually got into a small skirmish with the player he drove to the ground just before Taylor crossed the goal line.
Both players were flagged for roughing, which wiped out the touchdown, then Enyard was tossed from the game for flinging off his helmet.
"My emotions got the best of me," Enyard said later. "It was a dumb thing to do."
The penalty and ejection could have destroyed Oceanside's early momentum, but the Pirates weren't deterred.
Wynn hit Tialavea for 25 yards, and after a pair of plays netted 13 yards, Taylor ran over a couple of defensive backs en route to his 15-yard score to make it 14-7 with 8:22 left in the half.
"He (Taylor) was already hurting then, but found a way to get to the end zone," Wynn said. "That shows you what kind of warrior he is."
Despite being outgained 200-42 in the first half, Carlsbad was still one score from tying the game. A long kickoff return and late hit helped the Lancers to good field position to start the second half, but consecutive sticks for losses by Vaeena thwarted any momentum.
"Those guys fly to the ball and hit hard," Taylor said of his own defense. "I scrimmage them all the time so I know first hand. They're the real deal."
Said Vaeena: "We came into the locker room at 5:05 p.m. (Friday) and were totally focused. I knew we were capable of this."
The Pirates made it a two-possession game by going 36 yards on their first drive of the second half, keyed by a 23-yard completion to Gutierrez and capped on a 32-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Jose Velasquez, making it 17-7.
Velasquez also made all four extra points.
"Our kicking game was on also," Carroll said. "We really were really good in all phases."
The Pirates put the game away with an 11-play, 78-yard drive that was finished off with a 7-yard TD run by Taylor with 11:48 left in the game.
Another big completion from Wynn, this one 31 yards to Tialavea, keyed the drive. Wynn has now completed 89 of 144 passes for 1,485 yards and nine scores.
"Carlsbad throws a lot of different looks at you defensively but our guys made the adjustments," Wynn said.
Taylor added icing with a 1-yard TD dive with 7:40 left completing a 34-yard drive after Siluano's interception and 10-yard return. Wynn had a 13-yard completion and 12-yard run to key the drive.
"Our guys were obviously ready to play and this is a rivalry worth getting up for," Carroll said. "It really didn't matter that there was a streak or live TV. It didn't matter if they were 5-0 or 0-5. It was Oceanside versus Carlsbad and that's always a big deal."
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
Oceanside 31, Carlsbad 7
Carlsbad (5-1, 1-1) 7 0 0 0 - 7
Oceanside (5-1, 1-0) 7 7 3 14 - 31
FIRST QUARTER
O - Armani Taylor 1 run (Jose Velasquez kick), 7:28
C - Michael Vandenkolk 50 interception return (Jose Hernandez kick), 2:46
SECOND QUARTER
O - Taylor 15 run (Velasquez kick), 8:22
THIRD QUARTER
O - FG, Velasquez 32, 7:37
FOURTH QUARTER
O - Taylor 7 run (Velasquez kick), 11:48
O - Taylor 1 run (Velasquez kick), 7:40
STATISTICS
RUSHING
Carlsbad: Nick Pascarella 13-34, Justin Morales 1-0, David Cisneros 2-(-5). Totals 16-29.
Oceanside: Taylor 23-111, David Gutierrez 3-32, Roy Tialavea 3-14, Jordan Wynn 2-10, Gary Stevenson 2-10. Totals 33-172.
PASSING
Carlsbad: Morales 9-22-1-53.
Oceanside: Wynn 17-28-0-220, Tialavea 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING
Carlsbad: Travis Miller 2-13, Jordan Bevilacqua 2-11, Kalani LTialavea 5-94, Gutierrez 5-63, Taylor 4-33, Frank Zimmerman 2-11, Lamont Enyard 1-19.
TEAM TOTALS
First downs: Carlsbad 6, Oceanside 20
Total yards: Carlsbad 82, Oceanside 397.
Turnovers: Carlsbad 1, Oceanside 1.
