By Steve Marcotte
and David A. Willauer-Contributing Writer

Oceanside CA— The Oceanside Pirates defense had no answer for the Torrey Pines ground game falling to the Falcons on Homecoming night, 32-28.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Torrey Pines offense got on track behind the running of Nick Nasland and Sulley O’Brien to march 73 yards in 14 plays capped by a 3-yard plunge by Nasland. The PAT was no good and the Torrey Pines Falcons led 6-0 with 9:23 left in the first half.
The Pirates stuck right back after Azizi Hearn took the kickoff back to the 45-yard line giving the Pirates a short field. Oceanside scored three plays later when Max Shuffer hit sophomore, Kyrin Beachem for a 32-yard touchdown. Jake Gerardi’s PAT was good and the Pirates had the lead with 8:21 left in the half, 6-7.
The Falcons took the lead again on their next possession going 80 yards in 11 plays with Nick Nasland scoring from 12 yards out, PAT good, 13-7 with 4:22 left in the 2nd quarter.

Torrey Pines would score three more after two penalties stalled their drive and they settled on a 37- yard field goal by Nino Alworth taking a 16-7 lead into halftime.
Turnovers by the Falcons Special Team unit helped Oceanside get back and stay in the game during the second half.

Oceanside forced the Falcons to punt on their first possession of the second half but the snap sailed over Nino Alworth’s head and the Pirates recovered inside the five yard-line. Two plays later, Josh Bernard punched it in from two yards out and the Pirates trailed by two, 16-14.
The Falcons increased their lead on their next possession going 66 yards in 10 plays. Sully O’Brien scored from 6-yards out and the Falcons were up 23-14 with 3:53 left in the 3rd quarter but the Pirate’s potent offense can score quickly.
Oceanside got right back in it on their next possession going 85 yards in three plays. Max Shuffer hit Josh Bernard with a backwards pass and Bernard heaved the ball 46 yards to Julian Hicks who took it the rest of the way for the 76 yard touchdown and the Pirates trailed by two with 2:21 left in the 3rd quarter.
The Pirates took the lead when trouble with the Falcons long snap gave Oceanside the ball at the Torrey Pines 29-yard line. One play later Shuffer hit Joshua Garcia for the touchdown and a 28-23 lead as time expired in the third quarter.
Just as mistakes helped keep the Pirates in the game during the third quarter, mistakes would cost Oceanside the game in the fourth. Torrey Pines added three points after they intercepted Shuffer deep in Oceanside territory and as Oceanside was driving late in the game for what was possibly the game winning touchdown, Shuffer was stripped of the ball sealing the win for the Falcons.
Ron Gladnick head football coach at Torrey Pines on his win: “First of all we have respect for Oceanside’s players and coaches we look forward to this game every year cause you will get the best of high school football I feel like that happened here tonight but we made more plays than they did that is what it came to.”
“We have a young offensive line but in the last couple of weeks our offense has grown and matured a lot. We had 382 yards rushing last week and I don’t know how much we had tonight but we’re hitting our stride as were a young football team that is improving each week.”continued the coach, “When we trailed 28-26 our coaching staff talked to our kids on how to play every game until it is over and the squad did it tonight.They kept grinding and made plays.”
For Oceanside; Tevin Meadows had 9 carries for 44 yards, Jacob Bernard 4 carries for 12 yards, scored on a 3-yard touchdown run along with his halfback pass of 75 yards to Julian Hicks for a touchdown and QB Max Shuffer was 9 completions out of 17 attempts for 127 yards and 1 interception.
For Torrey Pines: Nick Naslund scored 2 touchdowns on runs of 3 and 17 yards along with 6 carries for 39 yards, Nino Alworth kicked 2 field goals of 30 and 32 yards, Sully O’Brien had2 touchdown runs of 5 and 6 yards and had 16 carries for 119 yards . Luke Duerr 20 carries for 93 yards. Miles Hastings 4 completions out of 11 attempts for 81 yards.
Up next for the Pirates (5-2) is a road game at San Pasqual (4-3). With the win, Torrey Pines improves to 5-2 and will host Carlsbad which fell to 1-6 after a road loss at San Marcos, 20-6.
Other scores:
The El Camino Wildcats improve to 3-4 after beating the Warriors in Fallbrook, 31-10. The Wildcats fell behind early 7-0 but went on a 31-3 roll with Chris Brown scoring three touchdowns and Jaden Casey throwing for another. El Camino will celebrate Homecoming next week against Mission Hills (5-2) a 28-21 winner over the Mavericks of La Costa Canyon (4-3). The Mavericks host San Marcos (5-2) next Friday night.
Vista (3-4) fell to undefeated Rancho Bernardo (7-0) , 35-7 and Army-Navy fell to Classical Academy 35-13.