2007 Game Summaries

Team Roster 2007

2007 Team Roster

Falcons in the News 2007:

From the Del Mar Times:

Looking for leadership, Falcons turn to Cabinet

Nobody is quite sure exactly when the tradition began. But for at least the last 15 years, the Torrey Pines High football program has each year designated leadership responsibilities to a group of seven seniors. The group is called the “Cabinet.”

Coaches select Cabinet members based on leadership ability and leadership potential — not yards-per-carry, quarterback ratings and touchdowns.

Coaches and players say the Cabinet transcends wins and losses, and is an integral part of program that prides itself as much for doing things the right way as it does for its tradition of winning.

“It’s an honor just being on the cabinet,” senior receiver/defensive back Carter Norfleet said.

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Coach Ashby was mentioned in the North County Times regarding the recent fire:

The great unknown

It was a stressful week for many, Scott Ashby among them. Torrey Pines' football coach had to evacuate his Carmel Valley home, but wasn't in immediate danger.

Several of his players, however, were. Ashby couldn't deal with the unknown and wanted to make sure his assistants and players were safe. That's a difficult task for someone in charge of more than 60 individuals. He couldn't call them all, but he couldn't just sit around and wait.

So he opened up his cell phone and started sending text messages. Lots of them. He breathed a sigh of relief with every positive reply. By midweek he had learned that all of his players and assistants were safe. None lost their homes, though there were two close calls.

"Thank goodness I signed up for unlimited texts," Ashby said. "If not, I'd be broke."

The article is slightly mistaken in one respect. Coach Ashby lives in the Rancho Bernardo area, not Carmel Valley, and his home was within a block or two of houses that burned to the ground. Coach Mihalinec was even closer to the destruction, 4 houses away from a swath of homes destroyed. They evacuated in the dead of night around 4am Monday morning, as the fire descended upon RB. They didn't know until Wednesday or so that their own homes had survived the fire, but they spent their time those next few days checking on everyone else.

2007 Palomar Conference

Week 9: LCC Mavericks 30, Falcons 0

Award Winners for the LCC game:

Falcon of the Week: Brian Djavaherian

Defensive Player: JJ Evans

Special Teams: Derek Hegyi

Big Hits: Josh Brown, Yuri Shubin, Taylor Crumpler

Scout Teams: Matt Turner, Kevin Elliott

LCC scores first shutout in series against Torrey Pines

By: TOM SHANAHAN - For the North County Times

CARLSBAD ---- La Costa Canyon High football coach Darrin Brown gathered his jubilant team for a postgame huddle moments after beating Torrey Pines 30-0 Friday night in their neighborhood rivalry.

He began to list what his eighth-ranked Mavericks accomplished with their second straight win against an opponent that has had the upper hand on them in recent years.

"We got the first shutout in the series," he said.

His players roared.

"We won for the first time on our field," he said.

More roars.

"And we won by the widest margin in the series," he added.

But the roars weren't so loud for the third one. Perhaps that's because the Mavericks (6-3, 4-0 Palomar League), who won their fourth straight game in the regular-season finale, have begun to look ahead.

They believe they should be among the favorites in the CIF San Diego Section Division II playoffs as the Palomar co-champions with a top seed.

"We were young when we lost a couple games early, but we're on a roll now, and that's where you want to be going into the playoffs," Brown said. "We think we're healthy and we're getting better on offense and defense."

Traditionally a Division I entry, LCC's enrollment places it in Division II this year. That means the Mavs won't get a shot at Poway in the postseason to unofficially settle their tie for the league title.

Poway and La Costa Canyon were supposed to play the week that games were canceled because of the wildfires.

Torrey Pines finished the regular season with an uncharacteristic record of 2-6 (1-3), but first-year coach Scott Ashby filed the necessary paperwork to seek an at-large berth in the playoffs.

"We felt we owed it to our seniors that have battled through a lot of adversity this year to give them one more game," he said.

La Costa Canyon senior quarterback Jose Mohler again directed a balanced offense. The Mavericks gained 157 yards rushing, and Mohler completed 13-of-16 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.

"He's a great athlete and leader," Brown said. "He can run and pass, and when he's hot, he's hard to stop."

Sophomore wide receiver Kenny Stills led the Mavericks with five catches for 90 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown reception on a third-and-12 play in the second quarter for a 13-0 halftime lead.

LCC's first touchdown was on a 19-yard run by T.C. Whaley for a 6-0 lead with 5:14 remaining in the first quarter.

The Mavericks' defense limited Torrey Pines to 94 total yards and one scoring opportunity. A 37-yard field goal try in the first quarter was missed.

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Week 8: Falcons 21, Westview Wolverines 3

Award winners for the Westview game:

Falcon of the Week: Bryce Lewis

Defensive Player of the week: Cameron Shimizu

Special teams player of the week: Casey Allred

Big Hits: Carter Norfleet, Josh Brown

Scout Teams: Matt Turner, Brock Ringo, Curtis Martin, Jared Wood

Torrey Pines grinds out of losing streak

By: RYAN HUFF - Staff Writer

CARMEL VALLEY ---- Dominant on defense, the Torrey Pines High football team halted its six-game losing streak with a crucial Palomar League victory Friday night, defeating Westview 21-3 on homecoming at Ed Burke Field.

"The final outcome was wonderful," said first year Torrey Pines coach Scott Ashby, "It's been a long time coming for these seniors."

The victory was important for the Falcons' CIF San Diego Section playoff hopes, and it also gave Torrey Pines (2-6, 1-2) momentum heading into the season finale with rival La Costa Canyon.

"La Costa Canyon is a great football team," said Ashby, "We are going to prepare and we are going to show up."

Running back Brock Ringo ran for 84 yards on a night in which offense was scarce. The Falcons totalled just 157 yard of offense, but they held Westview (3-5, 1-3) to 107 in their first victory since an opening week blowout of Nevada's Pahrump Valley.

Robby Gallagher and Bryce Lewis each ran for a first-half touchdown, staking Torrey Pines to a 14-3 halftime lead.

Josh Brown's 4-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter clinched the game after teammate Brian Brungger returned an interception 77 yards to set it up.

Westview (3-5, 1-3) continued its downward spiral with its fourth straight loss, putting the Wolverines' playoff aspirations in doubt.

Senior wide receiver Tommy Darcey led the Westview offense with six catches for 70 yards.

The Wolverines' lone score came on a 47-yard field goal by junior Bobby Wenzig.

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Week 7: Rancho Bernardo Broncos 41, Falcons 6

Award winners for the RB game:

Falcon of the Week: Carter Norfleet

Offensive Player of the Week: Brian Djavaherian

Special Teams: Josh Brown

Big Hit: Brian Djavaherian

Kemp, Seawright lift RB with legs

By: TOM SHANAHAN - For the North County Times

RANCHO BERNARDO ---- Consider a twist on the old backfield term thunder-and-lightning when describing the legs that drive Rancho Bernardo High's football team.

The lightning is the legs of senior quarterback Gerald Kemp directing the Broncos' spread offense. The thunder is the kicking leg of senior David Seawright on field goals, kickoffs and punts.

Kemp carried 19 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns and Seawright kicked two long field goals as Rancho Bernardo routed undersized, but scrappy Torrey Pines 41-6 on Friday night in the Palomar League.

Seawright's 51- and 43-yard kicks highlighted a night in which he boomed all but one kick for a touchback and hung a 41-yard punt so high it was fumbled.

"Coach (Brad Elrod) and I don't talk about where we'll try field goals from," Seawright said. "I just start warming up, but I'm obviously ready to roll out there anytime. After warmups before the game, I tell him where I'm good from. I told him I was good from 62 tonight."

He may not be stretching the truth.

His 51-yard field goal ---- his third from 50-plus yards this year ---- for 10-0 lead in the first quarter easily cleared the crossbar and may have been good from another 10 yards.

Seawright said he has narrowed his college choices to California, Michigan, Northwestern, Wake Forest and several Ivy League schools.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Kemp appears built to be a college safety, but he's starting to draw interest from schools that want him to run their spread offense.

Curt Stephenson, a former Buffalo Bills receiver who does the color analysis for Torrey Pines radio broadcasts on 1000 AM, was impressed with Kemp's athleticism, although he didn't get to see much of his arm. Rancho Bernardo (4-3, 2-0) didn't need to pass against Torrey Pines (1-6, 0-2). Kemp was 4-of-8 for 45 yards.

"It's amazing he's picked up the spread offense in that short of time," said Stephenson, whose son Cooper is a Torrey Pines alumnus and a reserve tight end at USC. "The jury is still out on his arm, but he showed great athleticism. Those were two nice touchdown runs. He kept Torrey Pines off-balance all night."

Rancho Bernardo senior running back Gonzalo Sanchez carried 11 times for 92 yards and one touchdown and returned the game's opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

The Broncos' other score came on a 13-yard fumble return by defensive back Patrick Chohaney, who also intercepted a pass.

Torrey Pines' points came on field goals of 28 and 20 yards by Eric Green.

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Week 6: Poway 20, Falcons 16

Poway rallies from two TD deficit to defeat Torrey Pines on ESPNU

By: SCOTT BAIR - Staff Writer

CARMEL VALLEY ---- The Poway High football team has played its fair share of close games. The Titans have won on last-minute touchdowns, defensive stands and gutsy two-point conversion calls on the way to an undefeated record.

But never have the Titans been down by two scores. Never have they had to come back in front of a national television audience.

That pressure-filled situation didn't phase Poway one bit.

The CIF San Diego Section's No. 2-ranked team stayed calm and earned a 20-16 Palomar League win over host Torrey Pines in a game that was aired live on ESPNU.

"We're a tough team," said Poway running back Nick Ricciardulli, who had 29 carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns. "No matter what the circumstances are, we never give up."

Poway (6-0, 1-0) found itself down 9-0 at half to a revitalized Falcons squad, but there was no fear in the visitor's locker room. No rah-rah speech was made because, frankly, it wasn't necessary.

"We weren't panicked at all," said Titans receiver Jared Relyea. "We weren't playing terrible in the first half, but weren't playing great either. We didn't have to make any major adjustments. We simply needed to execute a little better."

It didn't take long to accomplish that goal. Ricciardulli started the second half with a 56-yard kickoff return and the offense followed that play with methodic 44-yard touchdown drive. Ricciardulli finished it off with a 24-yard TD run down the sideline.

The Falcons (1-5, 0-1) refused to back down. They turned a third-quarter interception by Robby Gallagher into a touchdown in three plays to re-establish the first-half lead.

But, as always, the fourth quarter belonged to Poway. The Titans responded with 13 unanswered points to close the game and secure victory for the team ranked No. 21 in the state by CalHi.

There were two crucial plays that aided Poway's comeback. The first was a perfect strike from quarterback Tynan Murray to Relyea on fourth-and-11 that helped Poway cut the deficit to two. The second was a brilliantly executed sweep by Ricciardulli and the offensive line that scored the final touchdown.

While the second half belonged mainly to Poway, Torrey Pines played some excellent football throughout.

The Falcons dominated the first quarter and held possession almost the entire period. The Falcons ran 18 plays, but only had six points to show for it. That total came on a 1-yard run from Gallagher on the game's first drive.

The Falcons tacked on a 21-yard field goal from Eric Green to make it 9-0, which ended up being the halftime score. They finished strong, never gave up and looked like a drastically improved squad.

"We played four quarters of Torrey Pines football, which is very encouraging," Torrey Pines coach Scott Ashby said. "We're in good shape to finish strong."

Contact staff writer Scott Bair at (760) 739-6642 or sbair@nctimes.com

Week 5: Oceanside 56, Falcons 25

Oceanside outburst downs Torrey Pines

By: JOHN SCAFETTA - For the North County Times

CARMEL VALLEY -- The game nearly slipped away from the Oceanside High football team Friday night at Ed Burke Field.

In the second half, anyway.

A spirited comeback attempt from Torrey Pines was silenced with one of several offensive outbursts from the Pirates (4-1), who finally ran away with a 56-25 victory in the final non-conference matchup for both teams.

"They did a couple things on offense that we had not prepared for," Oceanside coach John Carroll said. "You have to give their players and staff credit. They made a game of it in the second quarter."

Torrey Pines scored two touchdowns late in the second quarter to pull within 21-19 at halftime.

Then things fell apart for Torrey Pines (1-4), as Oceanside scored three consecutive touchdowns in a five-minute span to start the second half.

The Pirates, ranked No. 3 in San Diego County, have strung together four consecutive victories since their season-opening setback against Helix and dominated the Falcons both through the air and on the ground.

"Our kids came out with fire and intensity and took control of the game," Carroll added.

Carroll, still recovering from a right leg injury he suffered on the sideline during Week 1, directed the Pirates from an area adjacent to the press box and said he expects to back on the sidelines next week.

Oceanside's Jordan Wynn, North County's passing leader, completed 14 of 15 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown.

"It feels great heading into league 4-1," Wynn said. "We were just pounding it right down them and our o-line was opening up the hole. They played great and played their hearts out. Our o-line is probably the best in the county, if not the best."

Senior running back Armani Taylor carried the ball 20 times for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

But Frank Zimmerman stole the show. The Pirates' wide receiver, place kicker and defensive star played the jack-of-all-trades for the Pirates.

The senior converted on eight extra-point attempts, caught four passes for 91 yards and returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

"I was very nervous about those PATs," Zimmerman said. "It was the first time I've ever done it on varsity."

Coming off a bye week, in which the Falcons had time to mull over their 40-17 blowout loss to San Pasqual last week, Torrey Pines failed to find consistent offense. Falcons quarterback Casey Allred completed just 8 of 15 passes for 125 yards, before leaving in the fourth quarter with a injury to his left leg.

However, the senior play-caller did have an impressive 66-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.

Oceanside's defense put the game away in the fourth quarter, with the Zimmerman interception return and a Jareez Cleveland fumble recovery in end zone.

Oceanside now gears up for next week's heavyweight bout with No. 1-ranked Carlsbad in the Avocado League opener.

"We just talked about trying to gain the momentum early. If we did that, we'd get the win," Zimmerman said. "We feel very confident and we're looking forward to Carlsbad and trying to knock them off."

Contact John Scafetta at John_Scafetta@yahoo.com. Comment at Sports@ncvarsity.com

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Week 4: San Pasqual Eagles 40, Falcons 17

San Pasqual too much for Falcons

By: SCOTT BAIR - Staff Writer

CARMEL VALLEY---- San Pasqual High doesn't play flashy football.

The Eagles don't throw it all over the field or move up field in massive chunks. They don't call plays designed for a highlight reel and they certainly don't take unnecessary risks.

They do control the clock, churn out yards and keep the chains moving. And when those three goals are attained, it normally equals a San Pasqual victory.

While that sounds easy in concept, it's much harder to execute.

Thursday evening, however, was an exception. The Eagles made everything look easy in a 40-17 nonleague victory over host Torrey Pines.

The Eagles played tremendous defense and executed the offensive game plan to perfection.

It was unquestionably San Pasqual football at its finest.

"I'm not sure how this game could've gone any better," said San Pasqual quarterback Daniel Minamide, who had 123 rushing yards on 17 carries. "We're gaining confidence each and every week. We want to have a swagger when we're on the field, a belief that we can't be stopped. Our offense is executing well and defenses have to account for six different weapons. To be honest, I wouldn't want to play us right now."

Torrey Pines (1-3) played tough in the early going, but lost control in the second quarter. That's when San Pasqual went on a back-breaking drive that changed the complexion of the game.

The Eagles (2-1) put together a sustained, albeit yawn-inducing drive that ate up almost all of the second quarter. San Pasqual's 80-yard trek to the end zone took 19 plays and more than 10 minutes off the clock.

"That's how you draw it up," San Pasqual coach Tony Corley said. "We came out and earned that touchdown and left their defense out there for a long time.

"And while I think that drive was probably the turning point. I think our defense deserves some credit. They played a little tentative at first, but they relaxed a little and became the aggressor. They played with reckless abandon tonight and took control of this game."

That killer drive started a run of 33 unanswered points that officially put the game out of reach. The defense made it stand by flushing Falcons quarterback Casey Allred out of the pocket on almost every play.

The Falcons jumped to a 10-point first half lead behind a strong running game and one big pass. Robby Gallagher finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

It was all downhill after that, as Torrey Pines lost its third consecutive game.

"The coaches take responsibility for something like this," Falcons coach Scott Ashby said. "We made some adjustments, but they just didn't get executed well enough."

Week 3: Mira Mesa Marauders 17, Falcons 0

Mira Mesa completes sweep, beating Torrey Pines

By: TOM SAXE - For the North County Times

MIRA MESA -- Mira Mesa High completed a three-game sweep of North County teams over the first three weeks of the season Friday night, shutting out visiting Torrey Pines 17-0.

Seventh-ranked Mira Mesa (3-0), which defeated Vista and Escondido the previous two weeks with big plays fromÝits skill players, won this one with a huge dose of old-fashioned, smash-mouth football.

The Marauders wore down the Falcons (1-2) behind the power running of Darren JenkinsÝand a punishing offensive line.

Jenkins, a 5-foot-11, 226-pound senior, rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.

"Jenkins wore us down. It was as simple as that," Torrey Pines coach Scott Ashby said. "And their offensive line, it's as well-coached as any you're going to see all season."

The Falcons turned in a rock-solid defensive performance most of the evening, battling their physical opponents for the first 3 1/2 quarters.

Torrey Pines forced Mira Mesa to drive almost the length of the field in take a 3-0 halftime lead with 10.9 seconds to play after Carter Norfleet downed Casey Allred's 37-yard punt inside the 1-yard line earlier in the second quarter.

The Marauders pounded the ball 95 yards to the Torrey Pines 4-yard line on 18 plays, losing starting quarterback Kevin Ozier to an undetermined leg injury along the way. Mira Mesa sent starting kicker Drew Garrison onto the field, apparently to attempt a 22-yard field goal, then called timeout, callled Garrison back and replaced him with Michael Chang.

Chang split the uprights, putting the Marauders in front 3-0. That's the way the score remained until the 7:51 mark of the fourth quarter. Garland, who had replaced Ozier when he was injured three plays before the field goal, scored the game's first touchdown on a 4-yard quarterback draw to cap a 65-yard drive during which Jenkins carried the ball seven times for 50 yards.

Late in the quarter, Verry Jackson returned a Casey Allred punt 12 yards and Jenkins carried for all four plays on a 30-yard drive that culminated with his 17-yard touchdown run.

For Torrey Pines, junior linebacker Trevor Roe broke up three Mira Mesa passes.

"Trevor played well on pass defense, absolutely," Ashby said. "And I felt we had a better defensive effort than last week (in a loss to Eastlake). We hit hard, and we flew around to the football.

"But we have to regroup and fix some things both on offense and defense. I've been here since 1992 (as a defensive coach prior to taking over for the now-retired Ed Burke as head coach during the off-season), and we've been in this position a bunch of times and come back. We've lost to two very, very, very good football teams (Eastlake and Mira Mesa)."

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