IRVINE – The first quarter was all about the offense. The second quarter was about defense and special teams.
Aliso Niguel, playing about as well-rounded football as possible after taking its lumps a week ago, scored a 42-3 Foxtrot League victory over Northwood on Friday.
The Wolverines dropped 21 points on Northwood less than nine minutes into the game – on touchdown passes of 33, 91 and 6 yards.
In the second quarter, a punt was returned for a touchdown, and then an interception went to the house on the ensuing possession.
It was complete domination as Aliso improved to 5-2 overall, 1-1 in league, and Northwood dropped to 3-4, 0-2.
Carter Vestermark was brilliant in the first quarter. He passed for 185 yards, completing seven of eight passes, for touchdowns to Dane Malloy of 33 yards, to Hunter Hagins of 91 yards, and to Brandon Levine of 6 yards.
Vestermark was particularly proud of the first one, which capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive — the longest scoring drive of the night for the Wolverines. He completed five of six passes, and was on the money to Malloy in the back of the end zone.
“He was running his butt off,” Vestermark said. “Perfect route, perfect protection from the O-line. I can’t thank them enough.”
But the 91-yarder made him smile afterward, too. It was his longest-ever pass, he said, after connecting with Hagins sprinting down the left sideline.
Though Vestermark slowed in the second quarter as the one-sidedness continued, the other elements of Aliso’s game stepped into the spotlight. Malloy returned a punt 42 yards for a 28-0 lead with 8:59 left in the half. Less than two minutes later, Tate Fettig intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards for another touchdown. Asher Youderian’s point-after extended the lead to 35-0.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to watch our team go and do what they do,” Vestermark said. “I don’t really have to do anything and we get two scores. It’s a great feeling.”
The Wolverines defense allowed only 47 yards total in the half: 26 passing, 21 rushing.
The unit limited Northwood to two pass completions on 10 attempts by Dylan D’Epifanio. The sophomore finished the game 9 of 25 for 100 yards and the interception.
The Aliso defense limited Northwood to 138 yards of total offense, and forced the Timberwolves to kick a field goal after getting a first down at the 5 on the first series of the third quarter. Dillan Low kicked a 27-yard field goal for Northwood’s only score after it had driven from its own 15.
Vestermark added a 48-yard score to Brody Blasing in the third quarter before exiting. Like his first two scores, it was a deep ball that found its mark. Vestermark finished with 258 yards on 12 of 16 passing. Though he has passed for five touchdowns in a game before, and he’s passed for three, this was the first time he has passed for four. He also rushed twice for 47 yards.
Hagins had three catches for 104 yards; Malloy had three catches for 64 yards; and Blasing had two catches for 88.
“It’s a huge deal for us,” Vestermark said of the bounce back performance after losing to league favorite Dana Hills, 35-14. “Last week was rough for all of us.”
