ANAHEIM – The storyline has been much the same for Cypress all year. Get the ball into the hands of Quinten Pounds and good things will happen.
Pounds had his hands all over the first half of the Centurions’ game with Pacifica, which Cypress won, 37-13, Saturday night in an Empire League game at Western High.
The wide receiver gained 138 total yards in the half, scoring two touchdowns to go with an interception as Cypress rolled to a 21-0 halftime edge.
Cypress (5-1, 1-0) will host Tustin next week in a battle for control of the Empire League. The winner will control its destiny down the stretch.
Zach Gonzalez had three sacks to lead the Centurions defense. Ariel Nava and Tyler Hansen each added a sack.
The Mariners (1-5, 0-1) were able to keep the ball away from Cypress for most of the first quarter. Pacifica had 117 rushing yards from Trent Hunter, Nick Garcia and Tirek Benjamin in the first half to help limit the possessions.
In the second quarter, the Centurions pulled away. Logan Burt banged his way to a 4-yard score. After Garcia broke a 31-yard run to get into the red zone, Josh Gutierrez blocked the Mariners’ field-goal try. It took Cypress just three plays to go 80 yards to extend its lead to 21.
“I think whenever we have a momentum swing, even if it’s a down for us, we always bounce back and make something out of it,” said Pounds.
Taylor Williams’ short-yardage touchdown run sealed the game in the fourth quarter. He had 114 rushing yards in the game.
Jacob Mercado added a 64-yard rushing touchdown late.
Garcia hooked up with Aaron Jacobs for the Mariners’ first score. Benjamin returned a kickoff 67 yards for Pacifica’s second touchdown.
