Pacifica isn’t trying to fool itself
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Looking back on the season, Pacifica Coach Donnie Rae can see some positives: his team made the playoffs for the first time and junior QB Vince Moraga has developed into one of the most talented passers in Ventura County.
But when I asked him about the Tritons’ first-round Northern Division playoff game with Saugus, I could almost picture the dark storm clouds forming over his head on the other side of the phone.
‘We’re in deep,’ Rea said. ‘I’m expecting our guys to put up a fight, but when I say we’re at a disadvantage, I mean it.’
The prospect of trying to stop Saugus RB Ryan Zirbel and QB Desi Rodriguez is what Rea fears the most, and he should since those two combined for more than 2,900 yards in the regular season. Of course, the good news for Pacifica is its defensive strength lies in its front seven. Hulking linemen Jose Ramos and Ruben Espino could make life a little difficult for Zirbel and Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, slowing down the dynamic duo a little won’t be enough to prevent them from inflicting heavy damage. Pacifica might need a miracle or some sort of Yugoslavian placing-kicking mule to pull this one off (I’d hate to see the transfer violations on that).
‘Saugus is well-coached and they don’t have any apparent weaknesses,’ Rea said. ‘We know it’s going to be tough.’
- Austin Knoblauch
