San Diego Prep Football : Point Loma Comes Back From Loss to Beat La Jolla

LA JOLLA — According to some of Point Loma High School’s key football players, the El Camino Wildcats are responsible for the beating La Jolla took Saturday afternoon against Point Loma at La Jolla High.

Point Loma (1-1) rebounded from an opening loss to El Camino to beat La Jolla, 29-0. It was La Jolla’s season opener.

“Our coaches got on us this week,” Point Loma quarterback Walt Edwards said. “We didn’t have our heads in the game against El Camino. This week, the line did a much better job. This week there was a lot better protection.”

Edwards, a 6-foot 1-inch, 180-pound senior had enough protection to complete four of eight passes for 54 yards in three quarters of work. More indicative of the line’s play was the ease at which the Point Loma running backs broke into the La Jolla secondary.

John Stanley, a 6-2, 180 junior, had 14 carries for 81 yards and touchdown runs of 11, 9 and 3 yards. Stanley was one of five running backs who found success against the La Jolla defense.

“We had the holes and ran pretty well against El Camino,” said Stanley, who played cornerback last season. “But turnovers killed us.”

Turnovers were hardly a problem for Point Loma on Saturday. The Pointers were almost flawless on offense and looked like the contenders for the City Eastern League title they are expected to be.

After a scoreless first quarter, Point Loma drove 85 yards in 16 plays for the first score. Stanley’s 11-yard touchdown run gave Point Loma a 7-0 lead with 10:47 left in the half.

The Pointers increased their lead to 14-0 when Stanley ran in from the nine with 5:30 left in the second quarter. The touchdown capped a six play, 35-yard drive.

Point Loma scored on its first possession in the second half. A 23-yard run by Edwards was the key play on the eight-play, 55-yard drive. Again it was Stanley carrying the ball around left end from the three-yard line for the touchdown. Point Loma led, 21-0.

With many of the Pointer starters on the bench, Roy Bragadeste directed Point Loma’s final scoring drive, a 59-yarder that took four plays. Kelby Downey, a 5-4, 131 sophomore, scored on a one-yard run. Nick Lutu grabbed a bad snap on the extra-point attempt and threw to Bragadeste in the end zone for a two-point conversion.