CHULA VISTACHULA VISTA — The Mater Dei Catholic football team needs to play “fast”.
When you’ve got a running back like Jordan Jackson, your offense naturally becomes fast.
The senior ignited a 23-point second quarter for the Crusaders as they downed visiting Eastlake 36-14 Friday night for their fifth straight win in a key Metro Mesa match-up.
“I’m just explosive, I like to use my speed,” said Jackson, who slashed his way for 104 yards rushing and a TD on just 12 carries, describing his style.
“For us, the faster we play, the better we play,” said Crusaders head coach John Joyner. “He (Jackson) gives us a lot of that. We can’t just sit around a wait.”
Mater Dei first came out with power.
San Diego State-bound running back Anthony McMillian Jr. (nine carries, 86 yards rushing, TD) muscled for 37 yards on four carries as Mater Dei took the opening kickoff and marched all the way to the Eastlake 8. But the drive stalled, and Ricky Osuna’s 29-yard field goal attempt went wide.
Things picked up quickly in the second quarter, dominated by the Crusaders (5-3 overall, 2-0 Metro Mesa) who scored on all four possessions in the stanza.
On the first play after changing ends, Osuna’s punt was rolling around in a crowd and touched by an Eastlake player. The Crusaders jumped on it at the Eastlake 17.
Three plays later, sophomore quarterback Kartel Purvis faked to Jackson and walked in from a yard out for the 6-0 lead.
“Coach was telling me pull it out the next time because the D-end was really crashing (on Jackson), said Purvis.
Speed on defense is just as important to Joyner.
Junior Joey Castillo came in clean blitzing off the end and sacked quarterback Tyler Balko. The hit forced a fumble, recovered by Santiago Lopez at the Titans 28.
“I thought our defense was fantastic tonight,” said Joyner. “We really need to attack the quarterback and we did and it made things happen.”
Three plays later, Jackson sliced in from 22 yards out for a 13-0 lead with 7:32 left in the half.
Purvis (12-of-18, 195 yards 2 TDs) was key on the next score. First hitting Isaiah Cook for a 15-yard pickup, followed by a 42-yard strike to Isaiah Buxton for the 20-0 lead with 3:24 left in the half.
A turnover on downs after a bad snap on a punt gave the Crusaders one final scoring opportunity in the half, taking control at the Eastlake 29 with 1:05 left.
Three Purvis completions got it down to the 10, but they were forced to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Osuna as time ran out.
Defensively the Crusaders held the Titans (3-6, 1-1) to just 29 yards rushing in the first half.
Eastlake running back Williams Schmitz (27 carries, 102 yards, TD) bettered that on the opening drive of the second half. The Titans drove 76 yards in 14 plays, with Kingston Schaaf (7 carries, 42 yards, TD) going in from the 4 with 4:34 left in the third quarter.
It took the back-to-back defending state champion Crusaders just 1:34 to answer back. Larell Parker’s 78-yard kickoff return set up McMillian’s first TD of the night from the 1.
McMillian would later add a 12-yard reception from Purvis for the Crusaders’ final score while Schmitz added a late 1-yard score.
The Crusaders will look to officially claim their third straight league title as they travel to face Otay Ranch next week in the regular season finale.
Farmer is a freelance writer,
Mater Dei Catholic 36, Eastlake 14
Eastlake 0 0 7 7 — 14
Mater Dei Catholic 0 23 7 6 — 36
MD — Purvis 1 run (kick failed)
MD — Jackson 22 run (Osuna kick)
MD — Buxton 42 from Purvis (Osuna kick)
MD — FG Osuna 27
EL — Schaaf 4 run (Gonzalez kick)
MD — McMillian 1 run (Osuna kick)
MD — McMillian 12 from Purvis (kick failed)
EL — Schmitz 1 run (Gonzalez kick)
