Strong debut for Lopez, Pacifica’s spread offense

Huan Troung, left, Khanh Vo, Kevin Nguyen and Staff Sgt. Thuan Ha, right, man a booth with give aways at the Pacifica vs. Bellflower game which honored military at Bolsa Grande High.
Pacifica's Nick Garcia is brought down early in the game during a run play against Bellflower at Bolsa Grande High.
Hunter Ely, 2 1/2, stands if front of a large painted American flag thanking those serving in the military at the Pacifica vs. Bellflower game on Saturday night at Bolsa Grande High.
Pacifica's Tommy Mercurio heads towards a touchdown early in the first quarter against Bellflower.
ASB members from Pacifica, Jillian Smalley, left, and Alex Brady, right, get their make up just right before the football game against Bellflower on Saturday night at Bolsa Grande High.
Pacifica's Mathew Estrada, left, returns a punt for a touchdown in the first half.
Pacifica band member and tuba player, Dylan Rugg, prepares to hit the field before the game on Saturday night.
Pacifica's Tommy Mercurio celebrates a touchdown by Pacifica's Nick Garcia, hidden, in the first half of their game against Bellflower at Bolsa Grande High.
Pacifica's Cooper Way, left. prepares to grab a fumble away from the Bellflower quarterback during the first half of their game. Pacifica recovered the fumble and went on to score on the turnover.
Pacifica's Marcus Tolbert rambles for yards during the first half of his team's game against Bellflower.
The Pacifica defense smothers the Bellflower running game during the first half Saturday night at Bolsa Grande High.
Pacifica's Marcus Tolbert gains yards against the Bellflower defense.
Pacifica's Nick Garcia prepares to score during the first half of his team's game against Bellflower.
Pacifica's Marcus Tolbert had a very successful first half against Bellflower.
Pacifica's Nick Garcia drags a Bellflower defender into the end zone near the end of the first half.

By David Delgado | ddelgado@scng.com | Orange County Register

September 6, 2015 at 12:49 a.m.

GARDEN GROVE – The Vinnie Lopez era at Pacifica started off with an emphatic bang as the Mariners defeated Bellflower, 51-12, Saturday night at Bolsa Grande High.

Pacifica and its new-look spread offense gained 461 yards and constantly overwhelmed the undermanned visitors from the Suburban League.

The Mariners (1-0) opened the scoring by constructing a 14-play, 90-yard drive that ended the same way it began, with running back Marcus Tolbert bulldozing defenders. His 7-yard run with 7:30 left in the first quarter gave Pacifica an early 7-0 lead.

Tolbert finished with 190 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns, all before halftime.

Matthew Estrada doubled the Mariner advantage when he fielded a punt, made a few defenders miss and raced to the end zone for a 58-yard punt return TD that made the score 14-0.

On Bellflower’s next possession, the Buccaneers fumbled a handoff and Pacifica pounced on the loose ball, taking over at the Bellflower 35.

Three plays later, Tolbert scored his second touchdown of the game, this one on a 5-yard run.

Pacifica quarterback Nick Garcia threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score.

Midway through the second quarter, Garcia’s 13-yard touchdown run gave Pacifica a 35-0 lead.

Bellflower got on the scoreboard when quarterback Merrell Jasper threw a short pass to Jalani Smith, who found a seam downfield en route to a 68-yard touchdown reception.

The Buccaneers added another touchdown with 9:08 left in the third quarter when Jasper took a quarterback keeper and scrambled his way to a 74-yard scoring run.

Aundre Purnell caught four passes for 76 yards and two of those catches were for touchdowns as he was Garcia’s preferred target.