Oceanside opened the season by knocking off No. 2 Granite Hills in a 44-29 statement victory that senior offensive lineman and University of Michigan commit Lincoln Mageo said may have shocked everyone in San Diego County but not “the guys in our locker room.”
Then came the gauntlet.
The Pirates ran into three of the county’s top programs — Carlsbad, Mission Hills and Helix — and absorbed three consecutive losses, getting outscored 98-23 along the way.
Oceanside responded Friday night.
The Pirates traveled north to Los Angeles County and blanked Southern Section foe Leuzinger 51-0, snapping the three-game skid.
“There’s always room for growth, and we’ve got to tighten a few loose screws, but we’ll continue to keep our heads down and keep working,” Oceanside quarterback Anthony Barquinero recently told The Coast News. “As for the win, it feels good to get that momentum going. We’ve been working all offseason to produce, and when we finally come together and play as a team, we become a unit.”
Behind the Pirates’ stout offensive line, junior running back Neke Letuli found plenty of room against the Olympians, scoring three touchdowns on the ground and adding a fourth on a 22-yard screen pass. Letuli finished with 178 rushing yards on five carries, including a 60-yard run, and scored on four of his six touches.
“That’s definitely our bread and butter at O-side. The O-line looks great this year. Just happy to play with these guys again,” 6-foot-4, 340-pound senior Oceanside offensive lineman Lotu Seumalo said.
Falcons dominate before Escondido forfeit
Torrey Pines senior wide receiver Logan Bonneau entered Friday night’s game against Escondido averaging 39.5 yards per kickoff return, good for 10th in the state. He totaled 237 return yards, with a long of 78 yards, and two touchdowns over four games.
The previous week against Mount Miguel, Bonneau totaled 165 all-purpose yards in a 44-6 win, including a 77-yard kickoff return touchdown, three catches for 73 yards and a 15-yard run.
His Game 5 process goals were simple: Get to depth on each route. Detect coverage pre-snap without any tells. Play free.
Instead, Bonneau had limited opportunities to put them into action.
The Falcons raced to a 35-6 halftime lead, and Escondido, dealing with multiple injuries, forfeited at halftime.
“At the end of the day, we’re working to compete for championships, so every game is an opportunity to compete, improve and get better,” Bonneau said.
“The identity of our team is being unselfish and playing for each other,” Bonneau said. “We play as a team, and with the majority of our starters being seniors, we have a lot of fun playing the game. I think that energy really shows on the field.”
On playing with senior standouts Blake Miller at quarterback and Logan Miller at wide receiver, Bonneau pointed to a connection with Miller that dates to Pop Warner.
“My connection with Blake and my other receivers is very good. Blake and I have been playing together since Pop Warner, and we’ve worked all spring and summer to improve our timing and chemistry. We’ve connected on some great passes through these first few games, and I’m excited to keep building on that.”
Rancho Buena Vista’s fourth-quarter comeback falls short
When Terrence McKinnie took over Rancho Buena Vista’s football program, the Longhorns were coming off a 1-9 season.
Three years later, McKinnie says RBV is a different program. The Longhorns went 6-5 last season and are 2-3 after a fourth-quarter comeback attempt fell short Friday night.
“The team has matured,” McKinnie told The Coast News on the eve of the season. “We have about 30 seniors who have been in the program, and they know what I expect and what the standards are. We’ve gotten the football players out there now — guys who are playing for each other. We’ve also changed some things and brought in some new coaches.”
The Longhorns trailed Fullerton 28-7 entering the fourth quarter before scoring three touchdowns in the final period. Fullerton held on for a 34-28 victory.
Quarterback Van Piercy completed 14 of 25 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Ean Perfect carried 12 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Sean Richards caught four passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, and Mason Imoto added a 25-yard touchdown reception. Isaiah Simmons had six catches for 62 yards, while Lincoln Bryan added a 34-yard reception.
“Those values are no longer simply expectations — they are being demonstrated every day through the players’ preparation, accountability, resilience and willingness to compete for one another,” the Rancho Buena Vista coaching staff said in an email to The Coast News. “Friday night’s performance showed just how far the program has come.”
North County Scoreboard
| Final | Score |
| La Costa Canyon def. Murrieta Mesa | 31-12 |
| Apple Valley def. El Camino | 36-21 |
| Eastlake def. Vista | 44-0 |
| Santa Fe Christian def. Army-Navy | 56-0 |
| Oceanside def. Leuzinger | 51-0 |
| Cathedral Catholic def. Helix | 24-19 |
| Carlsbad def. Valley Center | 49-12 |
| Fullerton def. Rancho Buena Vista | 34-28 |
| Torrey Pines def. Escondido | 35-6 |
| San Marcos def. San Pasqual | 41-14 |
| Mission Hills def. Ramona | 49-8 |
San Diego County Top 20 (Week 5)
- Carlsbad
- Cathedral Catholic
- Santa Fe Christian
- Granite Hills
- Mission Hills
- La Costa Canyon
- San Marcos
- Rancho Bernardo
- Torrey Pines
- Del Norte
- Helix
- Oceanside
- Point Loma
- Lincoln
- Christian
- Eastlake
- Patrick Henry
- Poway
- St. Augustine
- Grossmont
