Ocean View edges Calvary

COSTA MESA — A great beginning and ending was all that Ocean View needed to get an opening night victory Thursday.

Kyle Walker scored on a six-yard run with 5:20 to play and Kenny Tarpley followed with a two-point conversion run, then the Seahawks defense did the rest as Ocean View came away with a 15-14 victory over host Calvary Chapel at Orange Coast College.

A game full of miscues and mistakes actually had a dramatic ending.

Trailing 14-7 with 7:33 remaining in the game, Ocean View went to work from its own 40. Actually, Walker, a senior running back, was the work horse during what turned out to be a six-play, 60 yard drive that led to the go-ahead score. He began the march with a 12-yard run and went on to carry five more times culminating in his six-yard scoring run around right end.

Harold Eggers, in his first game back as head coach at Ocean View following a four-year hiatus, said he’d go for the win if Ocean View was in such a spot, and he did. Tarpley bullied his way into the end zone on the two-point run to put the Seahawks into the lead.

“I think we waited a little too long to get things going,” Eggers said. “It was just like our scrimmage last week. We started real sluggish and then began to move on offense.

“Our offensive line did real well in that fourth quarter. After a shaky start, Kyle (Walker) also came on strong and so did our defense. It was time for the kids to step up and play football and they got a nice win. It wasn’t pretty but it’s a win.”

A last-ditch drive by Calvary Chapel ended at the Ocean View 37-yard line when Fernando Valdez tackled a scrambling Calvary Chapel quarterback Daniel Fierro on the final play of the game.

Ocean View started strong when Tarpley recovered a fumble at the Calvary Chapel 21-yard line on the second play from scrimmage. The Seahawks needed just three plays to cash in on that turnover as Walker, who had all three carries on the short drive, scored on a nine-yard run. Fernando Valdez’s PAT gave Ocean View a 7-0 lead 1:58 into the game.

But from there on until the final 7:33 of the game, Ocean View’s offense sputtered. So, too, did Calvary Chapel’s but the Eagles benefited from Ocean View’s first costly mistake of the night to score its first touchdown.

David Garay was back to punt from the Ocean View end zone late in the first quarter when the snap from center sailed over his head. Garay was able to run down the loose ball but he was tackled at the one-yard line. Two plays later, Fierro scored on a quarterback keeper to make it 7-6. The snap on the ensuing extra point was low and a fast-charging group of Seahawks were able to block the attempt to protect the lead.

That lead, however, vanished late in the first half.

On a first-and-10 play from the Ocean View 48, Fierro, a sophomore making just his second career start for Calvary Chapel, hit another sophomore, Brandon Perez, in stride as Perez streaked down the right sideline to the end zone. A two-point conversion run was stopped by Ocean View’s Adam To. The pass play, though, gave the Eagles a 12-7 halftime lead.

Calvary Chapel took advantage of another high snap on an Ocean View punting situation in the third quarter to increase its lead. Garay had to scramble to recover the errant snap that sailed toward the end zone but the play resulted in a safety. The two-point play made up for the missed two-point conversion try by Calvary Chapel in the second quarter and put the Eagles up 14-7 with 5:02 to play in the third quarter.

During Ocean View’s winning drive, Walker’s second run, a nine-yard burst, ended with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Eagles and the 15 added yards put the ball at the Calvary Chapel 25.

Walker had 81 yards on 14 carries in the second half and finished with 125 yards on 29 carries, overall.

Ocean View’s offensive front, led by tackles Robbie Benavidez and Jordan Miller, guards Michael Congelliere and Drake Dominguez and center Cody Afusia, opened big holes for Walker on the winning drive.

Ocean View played without injured starting left tackle Charlie Webb.

“Everybody was pumped up on that drive,” Walker said. “It was a team effort and our guys up front did a great job.

“This is a real nice victory but the game was a reality check for us. We thought we were ready to play but we had a rough time of things in the middle quarters. But we stepped it up in the fourth quarter to get the win.”

Sophomore Nolan Tippy made his first career start as varsity quarterback for the Seahawks. His numbers weren’t spectacular but his gaining game playing experience is what mattered most to him.

“I was nervous out there but my teammates and coaches kept me cool,” Tippy said. “The game was a lot faster than I thought it’d be but I settled down a little bit in the second half. It was a fun night and I’m glad we got the win.”

Eggers also praised the play of Garay and Eric Morejon at inside linebacker.

“I thought those two guys did a terrific job,” Eggers said. “I put a lot of pressure on Eric this year to set an example as a team leader. I thought he not only performed well on the field but also as a leader of this team. David (Garay) also did a great job and did some exceptional punting.

“I told the kids that the first game of the season and the first league game, are the two most important games of the season. Tonight was that first step and as I said before, it wasn’t pretty, but we came away with a victory.”

Calvary Chapel, which opened its season last week with a comeback win over Magnolia, is now 1-1.

Ocean View next will open its home slate Sept. 19 by hosting University.