COSTA MESA – The North vowed this week to break the South’s dominance in the Brea Lions Orange County All-Star Game.
On Thursday night, they made good on their promise.
Quarterback Scott Lloyd of Fullerton threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Servite receiver Neil Pau’u with 1:32 left in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead score, leading the North to a 12-6 victory at Orange Coast College.
The victory snapped the South’s winning streak, which was tied for the longest in the series, at five games.
The South was seeking a record six consecutive victory in the 55th edition of the game, but the North celebrated its first victory since a 12-10 win in 2008.
The North drenched co-coach Gus Martinez of Fullerton with its water cooler and gathered on the field for a team photo after the game.
“It was a blessing to have this team after the season we had and finish it off with a North win with the Fullerton coaching staff,” Martinez said. “It was pretty awesome.”
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Pau’u, a former quarterback, caught a first-down pass from the South’s 41-yard line near the 20, spun off a defender and raced into the end zone to break a 6-6 tie. The North’s 2-point conversion failed.
The North’s defense sealed the victory but clamping down on the South offense, a familiar pattern in the second half. Esperanza linebacker Kory Grange helped force an incomplete fourth-down pass near the South 30 with 23 seconds left, and the North took over on downs.
The North’s defense was at its best on the South possession before Pau’u’s score. Defensive lineman Michael Hayden of Los Alamitos dropped quarterback Kai Ross of Huntington Beach for a 12-yard loss on a sack to the South 3 on first down with just under four minutes left. The South ended up punting from its end zone, giving the North the ball at the South 41 with 1:40 left.
Lloyd also ran for a 1-yard touchdown and was selected the game’s offensive MVP.
Defensive end Jack Bares of Tesoro was selected defensive MVP, and North defenders such as hard-hitting cornerback London Iakopo of Mater Dei and Fullerton linebacker Matt Hall also stood out.
The South led, 6-0, at halftime but the North tied the score on a 1-yard touchdown run by Lloyd with 5:48 left in the third. Lloyd barreled into the end zone on fourth-and-goal, crossing the goal-line thanks in part to a push in the back from Hayden, who lined up at fullback.
The North scored after Hall blocked a punt that his team recovered at the South 44.
The South opened a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter as Bares recovered a high snap in the end zone for a touchdown. The North’s snap on second-and-15 from its 15 got past quarterback Dylan Osborne of Villa Park. Osborne chased the ball, but Bares dove on it first with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
Bares’ recovery came one play after he sacked Osborne for a 15-yard loss.
Undersized at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Bares used his speed to make a few more plays in the first half, which didn’t see another score.
He pressured Lloyd in the middle of the second quarter that left Lloyd exposed for a sack by defensive end Taylor Prenovost of Santa Margarita. The sack helped derail a key North drive after it had grabbed momentum.
Prenovost’s hit jarred the ball loose from Lloyd, but the North was fortunate that offensive lineman Santana Barragan of Foothill recovered.
Safety Deryck Fletcher of Fullerton intercepted a pass at the North 1 and returned to his 30 with 6:21 left in the second. But the South’s defense prevented the North from capitalizing.
Bares also made an important tackle on special teams, hustling to grab Jerry Raye of Los Alamitos on a punt return to the North 41 late in the first half. Prenovost then capped the half with his second sack of Lloyd at the South 41 on the final play of the second.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
