Seahawks end on winning note

There will be no postseason party for three Huntington Beach high

school football teams, each of which concluded their 2002 seasons

last Friday.

Ocean View went out on a winning note and began building for its

future by defeating host Estancia, 26-19, on the final night of

Golden West League competition. It finished the season 2-8.

Junior quarterback Alex Hickerson threw for 235 yards and three

touchdowns, junior running back Aaron Gonya became the school’s

single-season rushing leader, as he gained 46 yards on 17 carries,

Shawn Kim had four receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown, and

junior Ryan Morejon returned a third-quarter fumble 46 yards for a

touchdown.

Marina ended its season with a 45-7 loss to Sunset League rival

Esperanza. Senior Jason Jordan took in a seven-yard touchdown pass

from junior Doug Fryer in the second quarter for the Vikings, who

closed out the year 3-7 overall, 1-4 in league play.

It was the final Sunset League game for veteran Esperanza coach

Gary Meek, who is retiring at the end of the season.

Huntington Beach, playing without its leading rusher, Patrick

Harrigan, gave Fountain Valley all it could handle before the Oilers

succumbed, 29-22, in Sunset League play.

With Harrigan, the school’s all-time single-season rushing leader,

sidelined, the other Oilers stepped up with standout performances.

Junior Alex De La Cruz rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns --

one coming on a 48-yard, first-quarter run, and also threw for 51

yards.

Senior Skylar Lopez, playing his final game in an Oiler jersey,

had a game to remember with two interceptions and three pass

receptions -- one of which came on a two-point conversion. He also

recovered an onside kick and returned two kickoffs for 56 yards.

“I just wanted to go out there and give it my all,” said Lopez, a

5-foot-7 wide receiver/cornerback, of his final prep football game.

“I left my heart on the field. It was bittersweet, though, because my

career is over. I’ve been an Oiler all my life.”