By Tyler Sonderholzer
In their second home game of the season and on a rainy Friday night, the varsity football team blew out the Marina Vikings by a score of 45-14. The Barons improved their record to 3-1, with all four games being non-league matchups.
“I thought we played well as a team,” assistant coach Trevor Marin said. “We kind of preached that before the game or at least I did preach that before the game today is to play as a team, I think we played complementary football both offensively defensively, and special teams.”
The Barons kicked the ball off to the Marina Vikings to start the game and the Viking offense went nowhere on their first drive of the game as the Baron defense played well to force the Vikings to punt the ball.
After the punt, the Baron offense was slow to get started as they were also forced to punt.
The Vikings were stopped by the Barons on three straight plays, however, a 15-yard penalty on the Baron defense gave the Viking offense prime field position and a new set of downs. The Vikings were able to capitalize on the penalty and scored a 20-yard rushing touchdown to open the scoring and lead 0-7.
Following the touchdown, the Baron offense battled hard going downfield getting great runs from seniors Caine Elroy, Ben Pham and Abdel Habibeh. Habibeh later got a six-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
On the first play after the touchdown for the Vikings, senior Fernando Garcia intercepted a tipped pass at the Viking 40-yard line to get the ball back for the Barons. The first quarter ended after the interception with the game tied at 7-7.
The Barons were able to get two good runs but a 10-yard holding penalty brought them back 10 yards. Junior quarterback Noa Banua dropped the snap but he was able to get a stellar 30-yard rushing touchdown to give the Barons a 14-7 lead.
Penalties plagued the Viking offense as they got three penalties, holding, delay of game and false start, and they were faced with a third and 31, meaning they needed 31 yards to get a first down. The Baron defense held firm as the Vikings were forced to punt.
Sophomore Nolan Olivares got a great punt return but a holding penalty on the Barons brought them back ten yards. With the slippery conditions from the rain, Banua fumbled the ball on the snap and the Vikings retrieved the ball and ran it to around the Baron’s ten-yard line.
The Baron defense held firm as they prevented the Vikings from getting any points, getting a turnover on downs.
Habibeh immediately got a 98-yard rushing touchdown on the first play on the drive to expand the lead to 21-7.
The Viking offense went nowhere as the Baron defense forced a turnover on downs for the second straight drive.
Running the ball was very effective for the Barons as Pham was able to score a 36-yard rushing touchdown to give the Barons a 28-7 lead.
The first play for the Vikings following the touchdown was a 78-yard passing touchdown to cut the lead to 28-14.
With little time left in the second quarter, the Baron offense did not go anywhere as the first half ended with the Barons leading 28-14.
On the second-half kick-off, senior Max Smith had a stellar 30-yard kick return to give the Baron offense the ball at midfield. Following three runs from Pham, senior Adrian Esquivel ran for a 25-yard gain to get the ball to the Vikings’ 5-yard line. Pham capitalized on the great run play to score a five-yard rushing touchdown to make it 35-14.
Following the touchdown, both offenses did little as the Vikings turned over the ball on downs and the Barons punted the ball back to the Vikings.
The Vikings were able to get some offense as they ran the ball to get a first down. A pass was broken up on third down but the Barons were penalized for defensive pass interference, giving the Vikings prime field position and a new set of downs. The Baron defense held firm, however, forcing another turnover on downs. The third quarter ended shortly after, with the Barons leading 35-14.
Running the ball proved effective yet again for the Barons with stellar runs from Smith, Esquivel and senior Isaiah Burney drove the Barons downfield. Smith ended the drive with a two-yard run to expand the lead yet again to 42-14.
The Viking offense drove downfield following the touchdown but they were aided by the Baron defense getting penalties on five straight plays, one defensive pass interference, two roughing the passer and two defensive holdings. The defense stormed back by sacking the quarterback, forcing two incompletions and getting the Vikings to turnover on downs for the fourth time.
Smith kicked off the drive with a great 18-yard rush while Olivares was able to get a 30-yard pass play but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Barons brought it back 15 yards. Smith and Esquivel both had good run plays, driving the Barons downfield and Olivares kicked a 38-yard field goal to make it 45-14.
The Vikings did little with the remaining time left in the fourth quarter and the game ended in a 45-14 victory for the Barons.
“Everybody had a great game and everybody was prepared for it,” Garcia said. “It was really exciting and we can’t wait to come back and beat Aliso to go 4-1 because the Barons are back.”
The Barons improved their record to 3-1 and they next play Sept. 23 against Aliso Viejo, whose record is also 3-1, at Huntington Beach High School with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
