A change in offensive strategy had the San Pasqual High School football team depending more on the passing game this season than in previous years.
But in Friday’s CIF Division 3 quarterfinal-round matchup against Eastlake, the Eagles brought the running game back into play and used a balanced attack for a 34-13 victory over the Titans.
The win advances No. 4 seed San Pasqual (6-5) to the semifinal round, where the Eagles will take on top seed Central Union, a 20-12 winner over Patrick Henry.
“We did a little bit of both,” said San Pasqual coach Tony Corley. “We got the running game going again, and that was important. It helped keep those guys off their toes.”
Senior linebacker Kaleo Bartolome was converted into a short-situation running back and scored three touchdowns on runs of 3, 5 and 3 yards, and he also had a fourth-quarter interception for one of three takeaways by the San Pasqual defense.
Another interception came from senior defensive end Mason Turnbaugh, whose 31-yard return for a TD gave the hosts a 21-7 lead just before halftime.
“We had a rough start, but it’s how you finish the game, and we finished the way we needed to,” said Turnbaugh, whose interception was his first of the season. “That’s why you watch film, to pick up on tendencies.”
Junior running back Cooper Marquez rushed for 91 yards on 17 carries, and junior quarterback Robert Renteria completed 10-of-14 passes for 159 yards, including a 12-yard scoring pass to senior receiver Jaiden Whitfield.
Eastlake running back William Schmitz came into the contest needing just two yards to surpass 1,000 yards rushing for the season, and he did that with a 15-yard run on his first carry. Four plays later Schmitz scored on a 32-yard run to the right side to cap off Eastlake’s opening drive with just three minutes elapsed in the first period.
San Pasqual responded with a 12-play, 73-yard drive which led to the tying score on the touchdown pass from Renteria to Whitfield with 4:03 left in the opening quarter.
The Eagles scored a pair of second-period touchdowns just 19 seconds apart to take a 21-7 lead. A 30-yard pass completion from Renteria to senior receiver Adrian Leon set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Bartolome, and on Eastlake’s first play following the score, quarterback Tyler Balko was intercepted by Turnbaugh.
Turnbaugh returned the theft 31 yards for a score, giving the hosts a two-touchdown lead with 3:10 left in the first half.
Eastlake closed the gap to 21-13 on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Balko to senior receiver Baron Cardona with 58 seconds remaining in the half, but the Titans could get no closer.
After rushing for 87 yards on 17 carries in the first half, Schmitz carried just five times in the second half for 15 yards.
“We had a couple of interceptions against us that hurt, and we just ran out of bullets,” said Eastlake coach Jose Mendoza, whose No. 5-seeded team came into the game with a four-game win streak and finished at 5-7 after defeating Army-Navy Academy, 21-7, in a first-round game.
San Pasqual has now won six of its last seven games after an 0-4 start. The Eagles will play at Central Union in El Centro on Nov. 22. The Division 3 championship final will be played at Southwestern College on Nov. 30 at 3:30 p.m.
Friday’s game was just the second meeting between San Pasqual and Eastlake, which last met in 2006 in Division 2 quarterfinals (an 18-6 Eastlake win).
CIF PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals
San Pasqual 34, Eastlake 13
Eastlake 7 6 0 0 13San Pasqual 7 14 13 0 34
E – Schmitz 32 run (Vargas kick)
SP – Whitfield 12 pass from Renteria (Tuin kick)
SP – Bartolome 3 run (Tuin kick)
SP – Turnbaugh 31 interception return (Tuin kick)
E – Cardona 16 pass from Balko (kick failed)
SP – Bartolome 5 run (Tuin kick)
SP – Bartolome 3 run (kick failed)