Flu helps Golden Eagles to defeat Warriors gridders

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The saying is that football games are won or lost in practice earlier in the week than during the game itself. In the case of Fallbrook High School’s team, an illness outbreak in the days prior to the Warriors’ Oct. 21 game at San Pasqual led to the Golden Eagles’ 14-6 victory.

“The flu ran through our team,” said Fallbrook head coach Ross Johnson.

Ten varsity members did not play Oct. 21. “About half the guys who were there had been out at some time during the week,” Johnson said.

Fallbrook thus didn’t underperform in the game which likely cost the Warriors the formal league championship. “I was proud of our effort. We definitely didn’t have any lack of effort. It was a pretty impressive fight from these guys,” Johnson said.

The result gave both teams Valley League records of 3-1 and overall records of 6-3. “We knew even in full health it was going to be a really tough game,” Johnson said. “San Pasqual played really well. It was a pretty good defensive matchup.”

A broken play by Fallbrook’s defense allowed San Pasqual to score late in the first quarter on a run of approximately 70 yards. The Golden Eagles tried for a two-point conversion and were successful.

“We responded with a touchdown,” Johnson said.

Fallbrook’s leading rusher, Chris Bausch, did not play Oct. 21 due to illness. The Warriors’ touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter was scored by junior Jackson Christopherson, whose only previous touchdown was in the second half of the Warriors’ 67-0 victory Sept. 1 against San Ysidro. The drive consumed 15 plays and gained 70 yards after the Warriors had forced San Pasqual to punt. Fallbrook sought a two-point conversion, but that was not successful and the score remained 8‑6 in the Golden Eagles’ favor.

Early in the fourth quarter the Warriors had the ball at the San Pasqual 24. A pass was intercepted inside the 20-yard-line and returned for a touchdown. The conversion attempt failed, keeping the score at 14-6.

“We were not 100 percent, but the guys fought hard. We had a chance,” Johnson said.

Other than the interception returned for a touchdown, Fallbrook’s only other turnover was in the final minute of the game when the Warriors had a fourth-down situation and an interception on a desperation play was no worse than an incomplete pass. The first half also ended on an interception from a desperation pass; Fallbrook senior Jordan Reyburn picked off that pass. The Warriors also had a fumble recovery after junior George Aguilar forced a San Pasqual fumble and senior Matt Wilson obtained the ball.

Aguilar also led the Warriors with six tackles. Four of those resulted in San Pasqual lost yardage including one in which the Golden Eagles had fourth down a yard short of the first down marker.

San Pasqual began Valley League play with a loss to Valley Center, whose Oct. 21 victory over Rancho Buena Vista also gave the Jaguars a 3-1 league record, but they now has a three-game winning streak. “They had really impressive wins over RBV and Ramona before playing us,” Johnson said. “They have been playing really well.”

Valley Center hosts Ramona tomorrow. San Pasqual will be at Escondido. Fallbrook has a home game against Rancho Buena Vista which will be preceded by Senior Night ceremonies.

“We’ve got a chance still to get at least a share of the league title,” Johnson said. “It would be nice to get a league title for the first time in seven years if we can take care of business.”