By Tyler Sonderholzer
In the annual Homecoming game, the Barons’ varsity football team was defeated 0-49 by the Newport Harbor Sailors; they shared an identical record with the Barons going into the game. This loss brings the Barons’ overall record to 1-6 and Sunset League record to 0-2.
“It was definitely a rough game. I mean, 0-49 is not a great game…There were ups and there were downs and that’s how football goes,” junior quarterback Owen Tomko said.
The Barons received the opening kickoff but their first drive started off with a turnover; Tomko threw a pass that fell right into the arms of a Sailor defensive back. However, the Barons’ defense got the ball back on a fumble following a wild snap to take back possession around midfield.
Barons’ offense was unable to gain any momentum and the ball returned to the Sailors’ possession. Sailors’ offense took advantage and scored a 36-yard passing touchdown to make the score 0-7. The rest of the first quarter was brutal fighting with neither team scoring.
The Barons’ offense started the second quarter but was unable to score. The Sailors’ offense was able to capitalize and scored a three-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 0-14. After the Barons got possession following the touchdown, Tomko got hit while trying to make a pass and fumbled the ball. The Sailors’ defense scooped up the ball and ran it in for a touchdown to make the score 0-21.
After the Barons received the ball back from the Sailors, there was another deflected interception that almost resulted in a touchdown. After gaining good field position following the interception, the Sailor offense was unable to get past the Barons’ defense and their kicker missed the field goal. The Barons’ offense was unable to score any points before the half ended.
The Sailors started the third quarter with the ball. Their offense was able to overpower the Barons’ defense and the Sailors scored their third touchdown of the game on a 52-yard passing play to make the score 0-28. However, the game went from bad to worse for the Barons as there was a fumble on the kickoff, which gave the Sailors possession of the ball. That allowed them to score a 29-yard passing touchdown to make the game 0-35.
After the Barons received the kickoff, Tomko threw a 45-yard pass to senior Drew Reyes but that was all the offense the Barons could muster in the quarter as Tomko threw his third interception of the game on the following play. The Sailors used their strong rushing game to push down the field and score a five-yard rushing touchdown to expand their lead to 0-42. The third quarter ended with the Barons in possession of the ball, but unable to respond.
The remainder of the fourth quarter was a slow grind for both teams with the Sailors’ scoring one last touchdown to close out the game with a final score of 0-49.
“I think our guys fought all the way,” junior Ben Pham said. “We just need to fix our mistakes mentally and physically.”
The Barons will play again on Oct. 14 against Los Alamitos, whose overall record is 6-1 and Sunset League record is 2-0, at Huntington Beach High School with the kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
Sarah Yoo contributed to this article.
