Portola uses effective running attack for non-league victory over University

Portola’s football team leveraged its running game to top University at home 35-13 in a non-league game Friday night.

The Bulldogs (2-1) ran the ball 35 times for 309 yards and had 14 first downs.

Portola’s first score, however, came on a 16-yard option pass from senior wide receiver Galileo Chen to junior running back Mason Mapstone.

Forty-five seconds later, University cut the deficit to 7-6 on a 59-yard pass play from senior quarterback Dylan Elmer to senior wide receiver Moises Keith-Chavez. Twenty-one seconds later Portola countered on a 45-yard Mapstone touchdown scamper to give the Bulldogs a 14-6 first quarter lead.

In the second quarter, junior running back Gavin Morrell scored two rushing touchdowns for Portola sandwiched around a 13-yard Elmer to Trevor Pattock TD pass giving the Bulldogs a 28-13 halftime lead.

Early in the second half, University appeared to have cut the deficit to one major score on a 90-yard Elmer to Pattock touchdown pass, but the play was called back on a holding penalty. Three plays later junior linebacker Daniel Higgins had a 17-yard pick six to complete the scoring.

For Portola, Morrell had 81 yards on nine carries, Mapstone seven rushed for 65 yards and sophomore Ayden Buenaventura four runs for 64 yards. Jamal Abdelkarim had three carries for 38 yards and a 66-yard punt return.

For University, Elmer was 12 for 23 for 213 yards. Keith-Chavez had four catches for 145 yards and 197 all purpose yards. Pattock had four receptions for 40 yards, two punts inside the 20 yard line, a 65-yard kickoff and a touchdown saving tackle on the long punt return.

Next week Portola plays Beckman at Tustin while University (2-1) hosts Anaheim.

—Courtesy Daryl Bogard, For OC Sports Zone