There’s simply no way to be polite when describing the Mar Vista Mariners football team’s offensive formation. The running backs line up so close behind the team’s offensive linemen that well, the scheme has earned the nickname — for best or worst — as the “butt-sniffer” offense.
That’s simply what it’s called in football circles and the Mariners run it well. Last year, they ravaged opponents as the San Diego Section’s No. 1 regular season rushing team by averaging 410.5 yards per game en route to a Metro-South Bay League championship, superlative final 7-4 record and a trip to the Division III playoffs.
Despite losing the bulk of that rushing attack to graduation, Mar Vista kicked off the 2011 season last Friday by hosting the Grossmont Valley League co-champion El Capitan Vaqueros.
The cast might have changed but back in victory formation was the Mariners’ double wing, double tight end “butt-sniffer” offense.
Mar Vista attempted just two passes during the non-league game, and won 28-17.
MVHS coach Brian Hay indicated he felt his team was headed for a “stellar season” in 2011. Defeating a quality East County opponent in El Capitan goes a long way to support that.
Jimmie Hill scored on runs of 31 and 28 yards, Keevin Moore broke off a 47-yard touchdown run and Kenny Nieves romped 48 yards into the end zone on another breakaway scamper.
Despite the final 11-point margin of victory, the Mariners led just 8-6 at halftime after Hill’s first TD. That scoring run was set up when the Mar Vista defense recovered a fumble at midfield when it looked as if the Vaqueros were driving for the game’s opening score.
El Capitan scored the first touchdown of the second half to go ahead, 14-8, but Mar Vista racked up two touchdowns in the third quarter to lead 21-14. The Mariners tacked on the only touchdown scored by either team in the fourth quarter to complete the margin of victory.
The hosts racked up 318 rushing yards in securing the non-league victory. Moore averaged 12.3 yards per carry.
For the Vaqueros, quarterback Jake Alvernaz completed seven of 13 passing attempts for 129 yards, including two scoring passes to Josh Murphy (who also kicked a 26-yard field goal).
Mar Vista hosts Division V runner-up Francis Parker (1-0) in another non-league game on Sept. 16.
