H.B. team zeroes in on crown

The Huntington Beach Green Chargers have reached the pinnacle of the 2006 Pop Warner Football Jr. Pee Wee Division season.

By defeating the Brawley Wildcats, 28-0, last Saturday at Los Altos High in Hacienda Heights, Huntington earned the right to contend for the WESCON (Western regional conference) championship trophy.

On Saturday, the Green Chargers will take on the La Verne Spartans in a battle between undefeated teams at 9 a.m. at San Clemente High.

Not only are the Green Chargers undefeated, their defense continues to be un-scored upon in 14 games.

In the 28-0 conference semifinal mercy-rule win over Brawley, Huntington’s defense dominated the Brawley offense throughout the contest. Jordan Palomino, Steven Tovatt, Peter Russo, Andrew Mickle, Sam Doxakis, Alan Vogelsang and Stone Escobedo made plays that stifled the Wildcats.

Offensively, the Green Chargers did all their damage by the end of the first half.

The first Huntington scoring drive was set up after Palomino and Doxakis teamed on a 25-yard loss that forced Brawley to turn the ball over on possession.

A 40-yard pass from Trevor Borkowski to Steele Escobedo put Huntington at the Wildcats 10-yard line and Borkowski finished off the drive with a touchdown run. A conversion by Robert Rice made it 8-0.

Huntington’s defense struck again on Brawley’s ensuing possession as Mickle recovered a Wildcat fumble. The Green Chargers took advantage of the miscue as Treavon Coley ran 59-yards for a touchdown to bring the lead to 14-0 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Tovatt returned a fumble recovery 6 yards for another score and Borkowski’s two-point conversion made it 22-0. Just before the end of the half, the Green Chargers blocked a punt and Peter Russo scooped up the loose ball and returned it 40 yards for the final score of the half, making it 28-0 at the break.