By Bodie DeSilva / For the Union-Tribune
Torrey Pines High School wasted no time making a statement in Friday’s opening football playoff game against Scripps Ranch High. Torrey Pines found the end zone on each of its first three possessions, leading to a 26-15 victory over visiting Scripps Ranch in the first round of the San Diego Section Division 1 playoffs.
After returning the opening kickoff to midfield, sixth-seeded Torrey Pines needed eight plays to reach the end zone, opening the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run from senior Ryder Young.
Torrey Pines (5-6) proceeded to force a three and out on defense and drove down the field once again, scoring on a touchdown pass from Blake Miller to Zac Barger from 10 yards out.
Miller, a sophomore, had an efficient night, completing 7 of his 11 pass attempts for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Armed with a double-digit lead for most of the second half, Miller attempted just two passes over the final two quarters.
Following a turnover on downs from Scripps Ranch (9-2), Miller and Barger connected for another touchdown, this time from 13 yards out that gave Torrey Pines a 19-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
“Very proud of the way we played in the first half,” Torrey Pines head coach Scott Ashby said. “I thought our kids came out fired up and executed what we asked them to do.”
Scripps Ranch was able to put together a strong drive on its fifth possession of the first half but were forced to settle for a 34-yard field goal from Tyler Meltzer as the first half expired.
The Torrey Pines defense picked right back up in the second half, intercepting Scripps Ranch on each of its first two second half possessions. Torrey Pines was unable to take advantage of either takeaway, leading to a scoreless third quarter.
Scripps Ranch capped off an 80-yard drive early in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run from senior Ryan Stadtherr. Down 16, Scripps Ranch opted for a two-point conversion, but its pass fell incomplete.
Torrey Pines forced a turnover on downs to get the ball at the Scripps Ranch 27-yard line and used nearly four minutes before Ryder Young found the end zone from four yards out for his second score of the night that put the Falcons ahead by 17.
“Ryder Young just fights,” Ashby said. “He’s got a giant heart, and he runs with every bit of his heart.”
Young finished the night with 112 yards on 20 carries including a 49-yard scamper that set up a first half touchdown.
“I think our line worked really well,” Young said. “They were excited to play a team not from our league and they were fired up.”
Armed with timeouts, Scripps Ranch was able to engineer a drive in the final two minutes of the game. Quarterback Parker Armstrong connected with receiver Kasen Mendez on an 8-yard touchdown as the clock expired in the fourth quarter. Mendez was a bright spot for Scripps Ranch, catching 10 passes for 113 yards.
Torrey Pines advances to the quarterfinal round in the San Diego Section Division 1 bracket and will make the trip south to face Granite Hills on Friday night. The Eagles, seeded third in the bracket, had a first-round bye.
DIVISION 1 PLAYOFFS
First round
Torrey Pines 26, Scripps Ranch 15
Scripps Ranch 0 3 0 12 15
Torrey Pines 6 13 0 7 26
TP – Young 1 run (Kick blocked)
TP – Barger 13 from Miller (Conversion failed)
TP – Barger 10 from Miller (Loizu kick)
SR – Meltzer FG 34
SR – Stadtherr 4 run (Conversion failed)
TP – Young 4 run (Loizu kick)
SR – Mendez 8 from Armstrong (no conversion)