Santana’s athletic trainers have had a busy season.
Already starting wide receiver Sean Iverson at quarterback, the Sultans lost a couple more players in their 27-13 loss against Mar Vista.
“We’ve got some guys dinged up,” head coach Tim Estes said. “We had a dislocated shoulder and a concussion tonight, and we’re hoping the dislocated shoulder will be OK.”
Santana’s athletic trainers have had a busy season.
Already starting wide receiver Sean Iverson at quarterback, the Sultans lost a couple more players in their 27-13 loss against Mar Vista.
“We’ve got some guys dinged up,” head coach Tim Estes said. “We had a dislocated shoulder and a concussion tonight, and we’re hoping the dislocated shoulder will be OK.”
The Sultans led 10-7 at halftime, scoring on a 17-yard pass from Iverson to junior Jacob Peterson and a 32-yard field goal by senior kicker/receiver Colton Snipes. Unfortunately for the Sultans, Mar Vista opened the third quarter with a 70-yard touchdown run to take the 14-10 lead and never relinquished it.
“It’s heartbreaking because we practiced it all week,” Snipes said. “We thought we had it coming in. Everyone came out hyped and then the second half just fell flat.”
Santana and Mar Vista have played each of the last seven years. Though the Sultans only won two of those matchups, all but one of the games have been decided by two scores or less.
“They got the better of us this time, and if we play them again it could be a different outcome,” Estes said.
Trying to light a spark under a stagnant offense, Estes made a change at quarterback late in the fourth quarter with the Sultans trailing by two touchdowns. Sophomore Drew Temple took over for Iverson.
“He’s got a little better arm and tried to get him into it a little bit, that was all,” Estes said. “We had Sean go play receiver, where he normally plays.”
Iverson seemed excited to move back to wide receiver when he put on his gloves and showed an assistant coach. Iverson started the last four games at quarterback in place of senior Nathan Temple, who broke his collarbone against Serra.
“It feels good to have these back on,” he said.
Tensions boiled over at the end of the game when the younger Temple had a pass intercepted by senior linebacker Jacob Galeana. Mar Vista was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after some pushing and shoving.
“This is the first time I haven’t been involved in that little scrap,” Snipes said. “Handshakes after the game it’s ‘Hey, good job,’ there’s no beef, no nothing.”
Santana opens Grossmont Valley League play 7 p.m. Friday when it hosts Mount Miguel (1-4).
“League starts a whole ‘nother thing because everybody’s back to 0-0 again,” Estes said. “I think they’ll be ready to play. It’s a good group of guys and they work hard.”
