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| Torrey Pines Secure Atop SoCal HS South With Win |
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Fallbrook entered the game 4-1, tied with Cathedral for second.
The game was played in wet, drizzly conditions after three days of rain and fog in San Diego County. The nearby livestock at Fallbrook’s football stadium might have liked the rain as it refreshed the grass they were eating, but it made things a little difficult for the rugby players. Fallbrook pinned Torrey Pines back early but the wet weather made for some dropped balls and turnovers in the opening minutes. Once they got the ball moving through the hands, Torrey Pines scored – center Chase Pickwell going over at five minutes. Fallbrook kept up the pressure but took all sorts of time to finally get a try. As halftime loomed Angel Perez made it over and flyhalf Markus Lewis slotted the conversion for a 7-5 Fallbrook lead. That state of affairs was a bit of a shock for Torrey Pines, which hadn’t trailed in any match in two years. At halftime Torrey Pines Head Coach Matty Sandoval made some changes, inserting senior Dillon Loyek at scrumhalf and junior Jake Goena at wing. Loyek, a running back and kick returner for the Torrey Pines football team and new to rugby this season, provided an offensive spark with his darts from the base. With the hard-hitting Goena now on the wing, USA High School All-American Billy Maggs, playing outside center, was freed-up to stiff-arm an opponent, fake a pass, and shoulder his way through two tacklers, sprinting 40 meters for a Torrey Pines Try. Alec Mills was good with the kick for the 12-7 lead. Torrey Pines made some additional substitutes on the front row, with massive forward Pierre Pretorious entering the match for the first time. Torrey Pines was able to push another score across to earn some breathing room, 17-7. But, Fallbrook had no quit in them, and returned the favor with a quick attack up the left side, with Perez getting his second try. Lewis, who is one of the best goalkickers in the league, made the kick to put the score at 17-14 Torrey Pines. With about ten minutes left, Loyek dummied, ran upfield, juked some defenders, and 20 meters later he was under the posts. Mills kicked the conversion for the 24-14 lead. Fallbrook put a drive together and opted for a penalty goal, which Lewis dutifully slotted, to put themselves within a converted try. However, Torrey Pines held on to win 24-17, but it was a good performance by a very young Fallbrook team that started seven sophomores.
HS Gold South
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