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TUSTIN — Several connections between Pacifica and Beckman stirred intrigue for their season-opening football game Thursday.
Both programs claimed undefeated league titles last season. Both schools also made deep postseason runs thanks, in part, to their ground attacks. And Pacifica coach Kyle Murphy once served as an assistant for Beckman coach Marcello Giuliano during Giuliano’s tenure at Pacifica.
Someone needed to break those bonds to deliver a decisive outcome at Tustin High.
Pacifica quarterback Joseph Pham-Ngoy seized the chance and teamed with his defense to lead the Mariners to a 27-7 victory against the reigning CIF-SS Division 8 champion Patriots.
In his first start at quarterback, Pham-Ngoy rushed for two of the Mariners’ three touchdowns.
Pacifica’s defense almost handed Beckman its first shutout loss since 2022. The Mariners forced three turnovers and held Beckman to 113 yards of offense, including minus-5 rushing. Linebackers Noah Palmieri and Michael McGuigan had interceptions.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Murphy, a fourth-year coach who won his first season-opening game. “They stuck to the game plan really well, which was to run the football, breaking in a new quarterback.”
“So proud of (Pham-Ngoy). He wants to win so bad,” the coach added. “Our defense played extremely well.”
Pacifica took a 20-0 lead into the fourth quarter after a pair of field goals by Beckett Bernhard in the third period.
Pham-Ngoy, who played tight end last season, punctuated his performance with an 18-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with 6:42 left in the fourth as Pacifica opened a 27-0 lead.
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“Our o-line was dominating,” the senior said of a group that featured RJ Massie-Reynolds, Patrick Ohi, Brayden Adams, Greyson Kokot and Daniel Sanchez.
Beckman scored with 2:03 left in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from starting quarterback Xavier Musselman to Bronden Brumley.
Musselman, a cornerback who led Orange County with nine interceptions last season, made his first start at quarterback.
“Tons of credit to Pacifica,” said Beckman coach Marcello Giuliano, whose team graduated its top playmakers. “Our defense played as hard as they could for as long as they could but they didn’t get any help from the offense. The offense was rough for a lot of different reasons.”
Pacifica, a semifinalist last season in Division 10, took a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter. Pham-Ngoy scored a 13-yard run on third-and-8 to cap a swift drive sparked by the Mariners’ special teams.
Ngoy used a slick, fake handoff to rumble into end zone and cap a 26-yard drive. A long punt return by Jackson Delight allowed Pacifica to start at the Beckman 26 with about two minutes left in the opening period.
Pacifica extended its lead to 14-0 on a 5-yard touchdown run by Zack Dickison with 32 seconds left in the half. The senior scored on second-and-goal to complete 61-yard scoring drive that consumed just over three minutes.
Pham-Ngoy keyed the possession with an 18-yard reception to tight end Luke Starr.
Pacifica’s defense allowed only one first down in the first half. The play came early in the second quarter on a leaping, 29-yard reception by Musselman from Colin Singh, who projects as the team’s top running back. The senior played with one hand heavily padded.
Next week, Pacifica plays host to district foe Garden Grove on Aug. 28 at Bolsa Grande High. Beckman travels to College Park of Pleasant Hill on Aug. 28.
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