Matt Rodriguez #18 of Cypress catches a TD pass in front of Kris Garcia #20 of Marina in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Matt Rodriguez #18 of Cypress catches a TD pass in front of Kris Garcia #20 of Marina in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Mekaih Felix #7 of Cypress catches a pass over Lucas Delgado #24 of Marina in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Ian Do #13 of Cypress runs past Nathan Kirk #6 of Marina in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Justin Hall #11 of Cypress scores a TD in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Jayson Bagsic #3 of Cypress is congratulated by Justin Hall #11 after a TD in the third quarter. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Tyler Hauber #33 of Marina runs past Logan Jump #31 of Cypress in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Justin Hall #11 of Cypress throws a pass in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Jayson Bagsic #3 of Cypress runs past Kris Garcia #20 of Marina in the second half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Peter Batsaras #19 of Cypress was crowned Home Coming King as Sofia Cueva was crowned Home Coming Queen at half time. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Quarterback Maverick Coverick #12 of Marina throws over Alijah Ashcraft #4 of Cypress in the second half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Caden Rynders #9 of Cypress is tackled in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Jayson Bagsic #3 of Cypress rushes in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Jayson Bagsic #3 of Cypress runs for a TD in the third quarter. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Quarterback Maverick Coverick #12 of Marina runs the ball in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Arden Nguyen #37 of Marina can’t hold on to this pass attempt in the first half while Kaden Chase #6 of Cypress look on. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Justin Hall #11 of Cypress celebrates after scoring a TD in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Matt Rodriguez #18 of Cypress catches a TD pass in front of rb ss Lucas Delgado #24 of Marina in the third quarter. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Quarterback Maverick Coverick #12 of Marina passes in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Peter Batsaras #19 of Cypress kicks an extra point in the first half. Marina played Cypress in an Iota League football game at Western HS. on October 15, 2026 in Anaheim. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
ANAHEIM — The Cypress football team came into its showdown with Marina looking to take control of the race for the Iota League title.
Read more Fullerton football has league title in sight after knocking off Portola
The Centurions got going in the second and third quarters and dominated the Vikings for an important 41-7 victory on Friday night at Western High.
Cypress (7-1, 3-0) can clinch a share of its first league title since 2022 with a win over Laguna Hills next week.
Cypress quarterback Justin Hall had three touchdown passes, two of them to Matt Rodriguez, and he ran for one score.
Centurions coach Rick Feldman didn’t like the way his team started Friday’s game, but he was pleased with the rest of the contest and the outcome.
“The big thing we wanted to be able to do other than win, because Marina’s a good team and they’re very well coached, is that we wanted to be able to try to establish a run game,” Feldman said. “We haven’t been able to do that. We did last week, and I felt like we ran the ball really well again tonight. And I thought because we were able to do that, that opened up passing lanes for us.
“Justin threw some great balls. Our receivers made some plays. O-line was fantastic all night long.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Cypress finally got on the board midway through the second when Hall found Rodriguez for a 41-yard TD pass.
Hall added scores with a 1-yard sneak and a 3-yard TD toss to Jacob Pineda to make it 20-0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Hall connected with Rodriguez again, this time for a 9-yard score to make it 27-0.
Read more OCVarsity’s football wrap-up: Stories, scores, photos from the Week 8 games
Backup running back Jayson Bagsic added a 9-yard touchdown run and Kaden Chase’s 60-yard interception return made it 41-0 in favor of Cypress.
Marina quarterback Maverick Coverick scored the Vikings’ lone touchdown on a 54-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Vikings running back Ben Ramos, who is among the county leaders in rushing yards, was limited to 30 yards on 13 carries.
Marina (4-4, 2-1) was without wide receiver Carson Hunnicutt, who is expected to be back on the field next week against Pacifica.
“It was close today,” TeGantvoort said of Hunnicutt’s chances of playing. “I just, I wanted to err on caution, right? It is high school. They are kids, you know. I gotta be mature and not just go for wins. I got to think about futures and all that stuff too, the future of the season.”
Marina will face Pacifica next week. Cypress will face Laguna Hills, which beat Foothill in Week 0.
The Centurions’ only loss this season was to Foothill, and Feldman made sure to point that out.
“We had two tough years in the Delta League, when we lost all of our seniors and they had to play a lot of young kids. And now those kids are seniors, and we’re seeing the fruits of that,” Feldman said. “And we’re not gonna overlook anybody, especially not Laguna Hills. They’re a great team, great program and they come out and play hard.”
Read more Presidential adviser says Ukraine is in talks to lift speed limit on military satellite network