Ocean View football falls to red-hot Dana Hills

Ocean View High football coach Luis Nuñez is proud of what the program has become.

In his eighth season as the head coach of the Seahawks, Nuñez has a great challenge, one that he has embraced wholeheartedly.

The Seahawks brought back only one starter on offense following last season, which saw Ocean View win a share of its first league title since 1989.

Even in the face of youth and inexperience, the Seahawks have remained competitive on the field. Nuñez recognizes that public schools are going to have their ups and downs, and it just so happened that Friday’s opponent is in the midst of one of its best seasons.

Dana Hills earned a 20-7 victory at Ocean View, winning a defensive battle in a nonleague game.

Dana Hills improved to 6-0 for the first time, said Dolphins coach Phillip Skinner.

“It’s a lot different than Dana Hills has ever experienced,” Skinner said. “I’ll tell you that. They’re enjoying the ride, but we only allow them to enjoy the ride until Monday morning, and then that’s it.

“When they come back to school on Monday, it’s back to Week 0 again. It’s back to starting over. Every time, we start over. They’ve got the pattern down now. That really helps. They know how to do Saturdays. They know how to do Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and now they’ve learned how to do Fridays. Thank goodness.”

Dana Hills senior defensive end Liam Boersma had three sacks, taking his season total to 18½. Through six games, he has already set a school record for sacks in a single season, surpassing Zack Alario’s 17½ sacks in 12 games played in 2009.

Early in the fourth quarter, Ocean View (3-2) was driving in the red zone trailing 10-7. Braden Crabtree had established a connection with Brandon Alcaraz, wearing out the right sideline on comeback routes to stay ahead of the chains.

One mistake by Crabtree ended up in the arms of Aiden Frangipane, who returned the interception 56 yards to flip field position.

“It was just an amazing play by him,” Boersma said of Frangipane. “Right man at the right time, and then him running back with it, it was just a phenomenal play by him, and I’m so happy that he was able to do it.

“It definitely was the turning point of the game. Him making that play just kind of shut them off and made us go into overdrive, just keep on pushing for the win.”

Dana Hills capitalized on the turnover, as Zackary Saavedra found an open Remington Kislig for a 25-yard touchdown to extend the Dolphins’ lead to 17-7 with 6:50 remaining.

“Our defense did a [heck] of a job,” Nuñez said. “They kept us in the game all night. I told the guys going into the fourth [quarter], ‘What else can you guys ask for? You’re in a 10-7 game against a team that is 5-0.’

“We were down inside the 10, late in the fourth. That was for the lead.”

Ocean View found the end zone on its opening drive. Alcaraz adjusted to the ball in the air and made a catch going to the ground at the Dolphins one for a 34-yard gain. Anthony Ramirez followed with a run up the middle to give the Seahawks a 7-0 lead.

Alcaraz made nine catches for 120 yards.

The Seahawks had success making plays up around the line of scrimmage on defense. Jobe Belles made two tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Josh Roberts and K.J. Boes both had one sack.

Dana Hills broke through after Trevor Gartlan picked up 20 yards on a fourth-down run. The Dolphins punched the ball over the goal line with a three-yard rushing score from Frangipane, tying the score at 7-7 at the 10:20 mark of the second quarter.

Ocean View will return to action at Westminster on Oct. 4. The Seahawks have two games remaining before the start of Pac 4 League play.

“We’re excited,” Nuñez said. “It’s all about getting the kids to believe. I know coming off of last year, it’s getting them to believe. We’re 3-2, but we’re a young team, and we’re trying to grow, and we’re trying to get better.

“We’ve shown that we’ve been in every game. Beckman, same thing, came down to the end. They scored on us late. We’ve been in every game this year.”

Nonleague

Dana Hills 20, Ocean View 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Dana Hills 0 – 7 – 3 – 10 — 20

Ocean View 7 – 0 – 0 – 0 — 7

FIRST QUARTER

OV – Ramirez 1 run (Barreto kick), 9:14.

SECOND QUARTER

DH – Frangipane 3 run (Afrookhteh kick), 10:20.

THIRD QUARTER

DH – Afrookhteh 24 FG, :17.

FOURTH QUARTER

DH – Kislig 25 pass from Z. Saavedra (Afrookhteh kick), 6:50.

DH – Afrookhteh 30 FG, :43.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

DH – Van der Linde, 16-60.

OV – Ramirez, 11-11.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

DH – Z. Saavedra, 16-29-0, 165, 1 TD.

OV – B. Crabtree, 16-35-1, 177.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

DH – Craven, 6-55.

OV – Alcaraz, 9-120.

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