Oschman, Oilers rush past Dolphins

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Russ Oschman rushed for 206 yards Friday night, and the Huntington

Beach High Oilers overcame a slow start to post a 21-3 victory over visiting Dana Hills in the final nonleague game for both teams.

Oschman gained 147 of his yards after intermission as the Oilers broke

away from a scoreless halftime tie.

“We had been stretching Russ with his running the past few weeks, but

it wasn’t working tonight, so, we just ran right at them in the second

half,” Huntington Beach Coach Tony Ciarelli said. “Our (offensive) line

did a good job of giving Russ some running room in that second half.”

Oschman did most of the work on Huntington’s initial possession of the

second half, rushing eight times for 67 yards of a 12 play, 92 yard scoring march. He didn’t complete the drive, but the Oilers got on the

scoreboard with 7:35 left in the third quarter when quarterback Casey

Ryder and Josh Morales hooked up on a 16 yard touchdown pass on third

down.

After Dana Hills drew to within 7-3 on Stephen Jennings’ 31 yard field

goal with 4:53 left in the period, neither team could mount much of

anything offensively until midway through the fourth quarter, when

Oschman put the game away with a 17 yard scoring run for a 14-3 lead.

The 5-foot-11, 180 running back gained the entire 42 yards of the

short drive, and his touchdown run pushed him over the 200 yards rushing

mark for the third time in five games, twice doing it against South Coast

League schools (Dana Hills and Capistrano Valley).

Oschman gained 268 yards on a school record 50 carries in a 17-0

victory over Capistrano Valley on Sept. 22.

Against Dana Hills, Oschman carried the ball 36 times, and ended up

with his 206 yards despite being tackled seven times for minus yardage,

and three more times for no gain.

“He seems to never tire,” Ciarelli said. “Russ just keeps pounding

away, looking for that open hole to explode through.”

The Oilers’ Rob Rossy, who had a solid game with an interception,

recovery of an onside kick, and 88 yards rushing on eight attempts,

capped the scoring with a 39 yard touchdown run with 58 seconds left.

The second half was a far cry from an inept first half by both teams.

Huntington Beach traveled deep into Dana Hills territory on three

occasions, but each time, came away empty handed.

On their first possession of the game, the Oilers reached the Dana

Hills eight yard line, but Mike DeHart’s 26 yard field goal attempt was

wide right. Rossy’s interception on the first play of the second quarter

put the ball at the Dolphin 39, and the Oilers drove to the 18 before a

penalty, a three-yard loss by Oschman, and a quarterback sack, forced

them out of scoring position.

The same scenario played again with 5:44 left in the half, when

Huntington began possession at the Dana Hills 41. A holding call, a sack

of Ryder, and another three yard loss by Oschman, put the Oilers back at

their own 42 yard line.

It’s a good thing Dana Hills (1-4) couldn’t move the ball. The

Dolphins, who came into the game averaging 26 points a ballgame, gained a

paltry 25 yards rushing in the opening half, while quarterback James

Krulisky was 0 for 3 with an interception.

Huntington Beach’s defense came into the contest giving up nearly 26

points a game (25.7), but the Oilers held their second opponent of the

season to a touchdown or less.

More importantly, they head into next week’s Sunset League opener

against Edison with a win, and a 2-3 record.

“Sure, we’d like to win them all, but it’s a nice feeling to be

heading into Edison with a win,” Ciarelli added. “I think our kids played

a good game tonight, and hopefully, this win does get us ready for league

play.”