Mistakes Lead to Loss in Malibu High Football's League Opener

The  varsity football players and coaches knew they were in for a challenge when they visited Bishop Diego in Santa Barbara on Friday night for the Sharks' Frontier League opener. Both teams were riding four-game winning streaks into the contest.

Earlier in the week, Sharks head coach Ray Humphrey said, "This is a team [Bishop Diego] that doesn't make many mistakes, but they know how to capitalize on yours."

His words turned out to be prophetic, as it was Malibu mistakes that led to a 22-0 loss. The defeat drops the Sharks' record to 4-3.

The Cardinals put points on the board in their opening drive. The Sharks defense was customarily stingy, until a missed assignment on a broken play resulted in a 42-yard gain. Malibu again showed its resolve near the goal line and held, until a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty on a failed third-down pass gave the Cards first and goal from the Sharks' three-yard line. The Cards punched the ball in, but failed to convert on the extra point.

On the ensuing kickoff, Bishop Diego utilized a "pooch kick," kicking the ball softly over the first line of defenders. The play caught the Sharks off guard, and the Cards recovered the live ball on the Sharks' 36. Malibu's defense held, but the offense found itself pinned deep in Shark territory. Two plays later, Malibu quarterback Brennan Cassone was tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Sharks were reeling; the offense had not produced a first down, but Malibu was only down 8-0.

The Sharks offense, which had averaged 35 points per game in the previous four contests, began to move the ball in the second quarter, but turned the ball over on an interception deep in Cards territory. That pattern, repeated later in the second half, proved to be the Sharks' undoing.

Before halftime, the Cards scored again on an 80-yard drive, which keyed on another long-yardage play. At the half, Malibu trailed 15-0.

The Sharks offense moved the ball more effectively in the second half, but could not close the deal. A solid defense kept the Sharks in the game, but a Cards' long bomb play midway in the third quarter put the game out of reach.

"We played with a lot of pride in the second half," Humphrey said. "I thought the defense really stepped it up. We finally got our ground game going, but our passing game needs to improve. You can't spot a good team 22 points and expect to come back with the run."

Humphrey continued, "They have a good program. Coach [Tom] Crawford does a good job, he always has. He complimented us on how hard we played. I think we gave them one of the toughest games they've had this year."

Asked about the upcoming game against Villanova Prep, Humphrey said, "We've got to fix the mistakes. We've got to tackle better, block better, and if we do, we'll be fine.

The Sharks celebrate Malibu High Homecoming against Villanova next Friday at 3:30 p.m.