Dana Hills Blasted by Hart, 41-13

As far as at-large teams go, Dana Hills High was a monster, it was said.

The Dolphins were 7-3 and had allowed only 81 points all season. Most fourth-place teams give that up in a couple of weeks. But fourth place was as good as Dana Hills could do in a South Coast League that boasted El Toro, Capistrano Valley and Mission Viejo.

Hart wasn’t exactly pleased about drawing such a wild wild card in the first round of the Division III playoffs Friday night.

The Indians, however, were the ones running wild, riding the legs of running back Howard Blackwell to a 41-13 win at College of the Canyons.

Blackwell gained 189 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in 18 carries and caught five passes for an additional 77 yards.

It wasn’t the easiest draw in the playoffs, but Blackwell said that Hart (10-1) wasn’t intimidated either.

“We can score on anybody, any time,” he said.

Dana Hills Coach Don Douglas couldn’t argue.

“No one has done that to us all year,” he said. “Blackwell was magnificent.”

It wasn’t that way all the way. The Dolphins scored on their first drive on standout fullback Matt Carvalho’s three-yard run.

“The rest of the night was all Hart, though,” Douglas said. “They just whupped us.”

It was Dana Hills’ worst loss of the season. The Dolphins were defeated, 41-21, by El Toro.

Quarterback Rob Westervelt did his share, completing 10 of 20 for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Chad Fotheringham added a 45-yard touchdown pass to John DePaco on a double pass.

DePaco also caught a 27-yard pass from Westervelt.

Lance Migita was on the receiving end of Westervelt’s other touchdown, a seven-yard play.

Carvalho, who had gained more than 1,200 yards going in, was limited to 63 yards in 16 carries. Dana Hills had an opportunity to increase its 7-0 lead when Blackwell fumbled the kickoff after Carvalho’s touchdown. However, Andy Marrone dropped a perfect Grant Taylor pass in the end zone on third down and Ryan Harrison then missed a 23-yard field-goal attempt.

Marrone came back to catch an eight-yard touchdown pass from Taylor with 31 seconds left in the half, cutting the deficit to 28-13.