IRVINE—Two mistakes, two touchdowns, too much to overcome.
In the game that was deciding the winner of the coveted Fence Post Trophy – the Irvine city champion – Northwood dug a hole and Portola filled it.
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The Bulldogs scored a 34-10 victory on Friday.
The score was a bit deceiving.
Northwood’s mistakes? They were big. A bad snap on a punt gave Portola the ball at the Northwood 7-yard line, which resulted in a touchdown.
A fumble inside the 10-yard line led to Galileo Chen’s 95-yard return, the biggest play of the game that staked Portola to a 14-0 lead.
A defensive stand at midfield resulted in a turnover on downs at midfield that set up a seven-play, 53-yard scoring drive.
All that took place in the first 16 minutes of the game.
“Coming into this game I think everyone had their eyes on Northwood even through we had won a bunch of games,” Chen said. “I felt people were doubting us. All the Northwood people were saying ‘This is their house,’ (though it’s Portola’s home stadium) and it was kind of personal to us.”
Portola improved to 4-1, and Northwood fell to 3-2.
The Timberwolves are young under first-year coach Stephen Barbee and have better days ahead. Apart from the mistakes, Northwood did a good job of moving the ball, but lacked the finishing move to put the ball in the end zone in the first half
And for good measure, Portola added another big play — a 68-yard run by Gavin Morrell that finished off any Timberwolves hopes of a fourth-quarter comeback. Morrell’s dash made it 31-10 with 11:18 remaining.
“We had to have some things happen, but they were milking the clock the whole second half,” Barbee said. “We needed some stops on defense and didn’t get them.
“We’re a young team and we fell too far behind to make up ground.”
Morrell rushed 21 times for 143 yards with two scores, including a two-yard burst for a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs gained 233 yards on the ground.
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Northwood was outgained, 297-205. Caden Jacobs led the Timberwolves offense with 154 yards passing. L.J. Ulmer carried 16 times for 141 yards.
The big plays were just too much for Northwood.
Portola was the beneficiary of a snap over the punter’s head, which gave the Bulldogs’ offense possession at the Northwood 7. Three plays later, Morrell busted up the middle for a lead less than seven minutes into the game.
Northwood drove from its 32 to the Portola 10, but a tie score wasn’t going to happen. A fumble at the five-yard line was returned 95 yards by Chen, who had no trouble finding the end zone in a sprint that was never really challenged.
Portola’s defense held on fourth down to give the Bulldogs possession at their 47. The defending CIF champion drove the necessary 53 yards in seven plays, with Chen catching Orion Suttle’s pass for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Andrew Chea’s third PAT of the half made it 21-0 at 8:31 in the second quarter.
Northwood got on the scoreboard on its next possession, settling for a 30-yard field goal from Dillan Low after an impressive drive petered out at the eight-yard line. Portola led, 21-3.
“That’s what we asked our guys to do, get out there and do their jobs,” Portola coach Peter Abe said. “When you get the opportunity, you have to make the play. That’s how you win these big games, and they did it.”
Northwood finally reached the end zone with a minute left in the third quarter on a picture-perfect pass from Jacobs to Elliot Kwon to make it a two-score game, 24-10.
But with 11:18 left in the game, Morrell peeled off his 68-yard response that essentially ended any comeback hopes.
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