Green Chargers football rides out the Storm

Huntington Beach advances to the semifinals in Pop Warner play; next up is San Diego County champ.The Huntington Beach Pee Wee Division Green Chargers advanced to the Western United States regional semifinals by defeating the Escondido Storm, 34-14, at San Clemente High Saturday.

The win moves Huntington into a Saturday noon semifinal with the San Diego County champions, the Mount Helix Running Rebels, at La Jolla Country Day High.

Saturday’s winner moves on to the regional championship game Nov. 26 in Murrieta.

“Regardless of what happens Saturday, the kids, coaches and parents have just done an outstanding job this season,” Green Chargers coach Marc Dubois said. “Mount Helix is by far the most talented team we will face all season. We’ll have our hands full.”

The Green Chargers, champions of the Orange Empire Conference, never trailed Escondido, champion of the Palomar Conference, in Saturday’s quarterfinal game.

Huntington took the opening kickoff, drove 65 yards downfield and capped the series with a 4-yard sweep for a touchdown by Isaah Lumbruno. Cameron North provided the point-after for an 8-0 lead.

Later in the first quarter, Escondido scored on a 45-yard quarterback option run to pull to within 8-6. A defensive struggle ensued at the outset of the second quarter, but the Green Chargers got on the scoreboard again when Lumbruno scored on a 45-yard run for a 14-6 lead.

Escondido did manage to tie the score at 14-14 by taking the second-half kickoff and scoring on a 49-yard touchdown pass, but from that point on, it was all Huntington.

The Green Chargers responded with a five-play, 70-yard drive, capped by a 35-yard touchdown pass from Chris Dubois to Christopher Ogilvie for a 20-14 lead.

Huntington put the game away with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first a two-yard reception by Joshua Peth, followed by a 47-yard run by Lumbruno.

Lumbruno led all ballcarriers with 11 rushes for 143 yards and three touchdowns.

Dubois completed all three of his pass attempts for 82 yards and a touchdown. The Charger defense, which controlled the second half, was led by Steven Springer with 9 solo tackles.

Huntington, now 10-0-1, defeated previously undefeated Santa Margarita, 16-0, on Nov. 5 to win the Pee Wee Division Orange Bowl. The tie came in the second week of the regular season in a game against the North Long Beach Black Panthers.