Anderson Gains 118 to Help San Dieguito Run Past Southwest

ENCINITAS —  San Dieguito running back Troy Anderson knew all about Southwest’s defense.

He had read about how it was the No. 1 defense in the county last season, allowing just 7.6 points per game.

Coaches had told him that Southwest was returning seven defensive starters, including all-league performers Laurence Estes, Jermaine Brown and Mike Johnson.

But before Friday night’s game at San Dieguito, Anderson told his coach, Ed Burke, that he was going to rush for a 100 yards.

Anderson then proceeded to rush for 118 on 23 carries. More important, three of those carries ended in the end zone as San Dieguito defeated Southwest, 22-10.

“I told coach I wanted to get 100 yards tonight,” Anderson said. “I just got lucky, I guess.”

Said Burke: “To be honest, with our offense, we give the ball to the person the defense dictates. We have three excellent backs.”

But Anderson was the main one Friday. Not only did he score three touchdowns--on runs of one, three and 19 yards--but his consistency enabled San Dieguito to control the ball most of the game.

Southwest was able to run only 19 plays in the first half, then just eight in the third quarter. The Red Raiders managed a better offense in the fourth quarter--when Jason Silva scored on a three-yard run with two minutes 29 seconds left--but it was too little too late.

“Those 22 points (allowed) don’t belong to our defense,” said Carl Parrick, Southwest’s coach. “They belong to our offense. Our defense played a heck of a game. They were just tired.”

After a scoreless first quarter, San Dieguito took a 3-0 lead on a Mike Magaro 25-yard field goal with just over nine minutes left in the half.

Magaro had an earlier kick blocked by Southwest.

Southwest’s Jose Garcia evened things with a 33-yard field goal with 3:30 remaining. Southwest drove just 19 yards after recovering a fumble, setting up Garcia’s kick.

After Mike Henry’s 39-yard kickoff return, San Dieguito steadily moved the ball downfield. In its 11-play possession, the biggest was a 17-yard run by Henry.

Anderson capped the drive plunging in from the one with five seconds left in the half. The conversion snap one-hopped to the holder, causing Magaro to miss the kick, and San Dieguito had a 9-3 lead.

Anderson scored from three yards to make it 15-3 with 3:30 left in the third, ending a nine-play, 65-yard drive. He then helped put the game away with his 19-yard run with 10 minutes left.

Defensively for San Dieguito, Kevin Barres had two fumble recoveries, including one in which he stripped the ball from a Southwest running back and rumbled 18 yards.

“He can’t run any farther than that,” Burke said.