Each football program has its defining game, and last Friday’s 22-7 non-league victory at eighth-ranked Torrey Pines likely lived up to that billing for the Olympian Eagles, who are playing in just their fifth year at the varsity level.
The decisive win against one of the San Diego Section’s longtime recognized powerhouses soothed the concern many had over what the Eagles’ ultra-tough 2011 schedule might bring.
Head coach Gil Warren admitted his team, classified at the Division III enrollment level, “scheduled up” this year by taking on perennial Division I power Torrey Pines, four-time defending Division III champion Cathedral Catholic (next up at home this Friday), defending Division IV champion Madison and defending Southern Section East Valley Division champion Lancaster Paraclete.
“I told our guys that if we want to run with the big dogs, these are the kind of teams we need to play,” Warren told The North County Times prior to last Friday’s game.
Olympian opened the season with a 9-7 loss to Paraclete, and led 7-6 on a 41-yard scoring pass from Chris Humphrey to Sergio O’Bailey before the Spirits pushed through a 25-yard game-winning field goal by Andrew Jimenez late in the game.
That apparently gave the Eagles the confidence they could run with the “big dogs.”
The Olympian defense dominated the Falcons throughout last Friday’s match-up. The Eagles limited Torrey Pines to 103 total net yards and a four-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Perkins to Dustin Skousen for 7-0 advantage with 3:11 elapsed in the contest.
But it was the Metro Conference visitors who shone the brightest thereafter. Ian Autman scored on two short touchdown runs and quarterback Christopher Humphrey tossed a 28-yard scoring pass to Daniel Gutierrez for 20 unanswered points.
Olympian, known for its running game, piled up 257 rushing yards in the first half.
The Eagles added a two-point safety at the end of the game when Perkins was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.
Torrey Pines defeated Olympian, 28-0, last year.
Devon Flores and Santana Leomiti led the way for the Eagles with 10 tackles each while Cedric Williams had two sacks and Isaiah Gibson had one interception.
Cathedral Catholic (2-1) enters Friday’s game ranked seventh in the section while Olympian (1-1) is ranked 15th. Cathedral defeated Torrey Pines, 13-7, on Sep. 9.
