Channel Islands overcame three touchdowns from D’Shaun Vines on Friday night and defeated San Marcos 46-22 at Warkentin Stadium.
The game was a big-play popcorn machine, advantage Channel Islands. The two teams exploded for nine scoring plays of 10 or more yards, including an 85-yard kickoff return by Fernando Romero and a 65-yard touchdown completion from Tommy Silva to Matthew Drake. Romero and Silva also connected for a 32-yard TD on the last play of the first half.
D’Shaun Vines provided a bulk of San Marcos’ offense on Friday. (Ken Sciallo Photo/Sevilla Photography)
Vines scored on physical runs of 15, 18, and 56 yards.
But the game was never in doubt after the Raiders jumped out to a 21-0 lead half-way through the second quarter. Vines’ 56-yarder cut the lead to 21-7 with 1:06 until halftime. Not satisfied, Channel Islands quickly marched 65 yards on five plays to push the lead back to 20 at the break.
Channel Islands responded immediately after San Marcos’ second touchdown as well. The Raiders had increased their lead to 33-7 in the third quarter when San Marcos constructed an 11-play drive that ended on an 18-yard keeper by Vines out of the shotgun.
Romero answered with his 85-yard return on the next play.
“Turnovers, and the kick return for a touchdown, and the touchdown right before half, were just backbreakers,” said Royals head coach Anthony Linebaugh.
San Marcos committed three turnovers in the game and lost senior running back and co-captain Ivan Reyes in the first half to an aggravation of an old injury. Reyes carried the ball eight times for 23 yards before leaving the game.
The Raiders’ biggest lead was 46-14.
“It’s always good to come out of here with a win but we did play sloppy at times and we want to shore up our tackles,” said Channel Islands head coach Gary Porter.
Vines was a force for the Royals, using his agility and strength to rumble for 139 yards on 15 carries. Vines would have had more yardage but a potential 65-yard TD run was whistled dead when the referees were fooled into thinking Vines had handed off the ball off to Ashkan Allen who was tackled at the line of scrimmage.
“I guess I must have faked out the entire field because I was untouched, I was already down field, I should not have been called back,” said Vines, who credited the coaching staff for the play call.
“That’s the whole point of the play is to fake out the defense. I didn’t plan on faking out the refs but unfortunately that’s what happened.”
Vines has rushed for five touchdowns in his past two games and thrown for another.
The Raiders improve to 3-2 and snap a two-game losing streak. San Marcos, coming off its first win of the season, falls to 1-4. The Royals are at Nordhoff (0-5) next week. Channel Islands, which defeated Nordhoff 36-12 in its opener, hosts Culver City next week in its final non-league game before Pacific View League play begins.
