TUSTIN – It’s not often a team can commit five turnovers in a game and pull off a win, but that’s exactly the feat Northwood pulled off Saturday night at Tustin High.
Despite throwing five interceptions, including four in the first half, the Timberwolves made enough plays to get their first Pacific Coast league victory this season with a 24-16 win over Beckman.
Northwood quarterback Brian Abel was alternately erratic and efficient. He finished with 194 yards passing, one rushing touchdown and those five interceptions.
Northwood took a 17-10 lead on a 24-yard field goal by Chase Walmsley midway through the third quarter, which proved to be just enough to hold off the Patriots.
Beckman scored on its next possession when Adrian Morrow ran it in from 12 yards out, but the Timberwolves blocked the extra-point attempt.
With 50 seconds left in the game, Barry Baker intercepted a Beckman pass to end any chance of a comeback.
After a sloppy first quarter by both teams, Beckman got on the board early in the second quarter when Logan Garrick caught a 46-yard TD pass from Dean Nagle on a third-and-11 play.
Northwood (5-1, 1-0) responded with a touchdown drive of its own when Josh Liu punched it in from the 1-yard line to tie the score 7-7 with 6:41 remaining in the first half.
Beckman (3-3, 0-1) got the lead back with a Sebastian Valerio field goal, but the Timberwolves grabbed the halftime advantage when Abel found Sam Aguilar for a 32-yard reception that set up Abel’s quarterback sneak for a touchdown two plays later.
