San Pasqual Seeking the Whole Nine Yards

SAN DIEGO —  If Mike Dolan were ever going to quit coaching high school football, it would have been a year ago this week.

Six times Dolan’s team, San Pasqual, crossed the Mt. Carmel 10-yard line. Six times San Pasqual fumbled and Mt. Carmel recovered.

The two teams meet again at 7:30 tonight at San Pasqual.

“When we crossed that 10, we turned to Jello,” recalled Dolan.

The fumbles helped Mt. Carmel give San Pasqual its only shutout of the season, 14-0. The Eagles lost their next two games for an 0-4 start, but thereafter rewarded Dolan’s patience. The offense matured, the defense remained strong and San Pasqual won five consecutive games en route to a spot in the 2-A section final, where the Eagles tied San Marcos.

Mt. Carmel turned a few heads, too, winning the Palomar League title and advancing to the 3-A semifinals before losing to Point Loma in overtime.

Each school won its 1988 opener, but neither is supposed to be as good as last year.

San Pasqual was picked to finish fifth in the Avocado League. Few Palomar coaches mentioned Mt. Carmel as a contender.

Two reasons: San Pasqual returns only two starters on defense. And Mt. Carmel “lost an incredible senior class,” said John Tejcek, a three-year starter at safety.

Tejcek and Co. will be facing a more savvy San Pasqual offense than it did a year ago.

Since Andy Loveland became the quarterback, San Pasqual has gone 6-0-1 and averaged more than 20 points per game.

Three running backs form a parallel line to Loveland in a full-house set. It features Tony Medina, who had 3 touchdowns last week, and Jimmy Clayton, (156 yards, 9 carries).

A trio of three-year starters head Mt. Carmel’s defense. They are Tejcek, who also plays tailback, and inside linebackers Marcus Lee and Jojo Reyes.