By Travis Wu
As a full moon illuminated above Ocean View High School this past Friday, the Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) Barons (1-7 overall, 0-3 league) faced off against the Dana Hill High School (DHHS) Dolphins (8-0 overall, 3-0 league). Going into the game against an undefeated team, the Barons managed to keep the game tight with a final score of 24-42.
The Barons had a rough start with key player senior co-captain Luke Taylor suffering from an early injury, causing him to be out for most of the first quarter. However, the Barons showed persistence and carried through, displaying a good defensive showing.
Starting back at the 20-yard line, the Dolphins pushed slowly up the Barons’ defensive line. Key plays from Dana Hills’ senior quarterback Vanden Dugger and junior running back Radley Geiss allowed the Dolphins to start off the first quarter strong, getting consistent first downs until reaching the end zone.
A key pairing between Dugger and Dana Hills’ junior offensive linebacker Chuck Eckl secured the touchdown for the Dolphins at the end of the 4:00 mark of the first quarter. A pass from Dugger to a wide-open Eckl into the touchdown was planned to perfection. The Dolphins attempted a conversion; however, the play failed and the score remained at 6-0 in favor of the Dolphins.
With the Barons trailing the Dolphins, excellent passes and carries from the Barons’ senior quarterback Lucas Alexander in the dying end of the first quarter allowed the Barons to progress closer to the Dolphins’ endzone. The first quarter concluded with the Barons nine yards away from a touchdown.
The Barons started off strong in the second quarter with Alexander throwing the ball above the heads of the Dolphins’ defense to junior wide receiver Jack Chavez. This play would secure a touchdown for the Barons. The Barons made a successful conversion to get a 7-6 lead in the first fifteen seconds of the second quarter.
A punt from the Barons was fumbled by the Dolphins, allowing the Barons to regain possession of the ball. With successive penalties against the Dolphins, the Barons carried the ball to a 13-yard distance away from their endzone.
Alexander completed a pass to senior wide receiver Charles Grover; Grover twisted and turned past the Dana Hills defense, getting to one yard away from the endzone. With 9:19 left on the clock, Lucas Alexander made a superhero dive into the Dolphins’ defense and secured the touchdown for Fountain Valley. Chavez successfully converted the extra point and secured a score of 14-6.
Struggling to shut down the Barons’ offense, the Dolphins regained possession of the ball and slowly made their way up the field. Consistent physical displays by the Dolphins’ running backs seniors Owen Walz and Geiss allowed Dana Hills to breach the Barons’ defense.
34 yards away from the Barons’ endzone, Dugger faked a pass and sprinted down the left side of the field, making a 23-yard run. Handing the ball to Eckl, the Dolphins secured a five-yard gain.
Mirroring a play that happened in the first quarter, Dugger sent a ball down the middle and Eckl — with extended arms — caught the ball and secured the touchdown for the Dolphins. Showcasing the partnership between Dugger and Eckl once again, Dugger connected a pass to Eckl to secure the two extra points, making the score dead even at 14-14 with 4:10 left in the half.
Taylor — after getting an early injury in the first minutes of the game — came back to make excellent runs down the sidelines of the field after catching passes from Alexander. Taylor made a spectacular 22-yard run past the Dolphins’ defense, and a long ball played by Alexander to sophomore wide receiver Raymond Dillon Jr. ensured another twenty-eight yards for the Barons.
Twenty yards away from the endzone, Alexander directed the ball to Taylor down the right side, a completed pass that gained the Barons fifteen yards. Alexander marched the ball down and ran straight into the Dolphins’ wall, gaining three crucial yards.
The Barons received a flag at the two-yard line and were forced to go back five yards. At fourth down and seven yards to go for the touchdown, the Barons played it safe, sending Chavez to secure a field goal and gain three points for the Barons, bringing the score to 17-14 right at the halftime point.
The Fountain Valley Royal Regiment delivered an excellent performance during halftime, encapsulating the close match thus far between the Barons and the Dolphins. The players marched back onto the field after the twenty-minute intermission, and the second half commenced.
The Barons kicked off the start of the second half. After a stellar offensive display by the Barons in the second quarter, the Dolphins sought to one-up the Barons offensively. Dana Hills began the half with the star quarterback Dugger completing an incredible 40-yard long ball to senior wide receiver Cameron Weaver.
Dugger handed the ball to Geiss, who explosively sprinted down the center of the field and into the endzone. The Dolphins secured the extra point and brought the score to 17-21.
The Dolphins, having secured a touchdown every offensive drive, looked to keep up the statistics.Dana Hills once again favored the physical game and prompted Eckl and Geiss to power through the central defense of the Barons.
Consecutive first downs by the Dolphins allowed them to push up to thirty-seven yards away from the Barons’ endzone. Once again, Dugger displayed his class by connecting his second forty-yard long-ball of the game to junior wide receiver James Leicester to secure a touchdown. The Dolphins make the extra point and bring the score up to 17-28 with 2:46 left in the third quarter.
After regaining possession, Fountain Valley struggled to gain yardage, and after Alexander was sacked five yards back, the Barons punted the ball and gave the Dolphins possession once again as the third quarter came to a close.
The Dolphins’ deadly offensive pressure continued in the fourth quarter. Forty seconds into the fourth quarter, Dugger threw a forty-yard long ball to Geiss, who ran the ball into the endzone to complete a touchdown. The Dolphins secured their third extra point of the match, extending their lead to 17-35.
However, the Barons did not give up. Alexander completed a pass to Dillon Jr. The Barons progressed fifteen yards and secured a first down. A fifteen-yard penalty for pass interference by the Dolphins, accompanied by carries by Alexander, allowed the Barons to position themselves twelve yards away from the endzone.
Taylor weaved through the Dolphins’ defense after catching the ball from Alexander and drove down the center to get a touchdown for the Barons. Chavez completed a kick and tightened the scoring gap to 24-35 with 8:37 left on the clock.
Dana Hills responded to the Barons’ touchdown with a touchdown of their own. A key physical performance by Walz drove the Dolphins forty-four yards away from the endzone. In the following play, Dugger handed the ball to Geiss to sneak past the Barons’ defense and ran it down forty-four yards to get the touchdown. The Dolphins secured the field goal in what would be the final points of the game.
The Barons strove to lower the deficit with Alexander connecting an amazing thirty-yard pass to Grover. However, the Barons struggled to make any more progress for the remainder of the game, and the Dolphins secured the victory with a score of 24-42.
The Barons’ next game will be away on Friday at 7:00 p.m. against Northwood High School (6-2 overall, 1-2 league).
