WOODLAND HILLS — Sixth-year Grace football coach Tom Coate, who led the Lancers to the CIF Southern Section Division 12 championship last season, has learned a few things about coaching at a smaller school.
With a roster that Coate said often lacks size, Grace has to make up for it another way: speed.
The Lancers operate at a hurry-up pace, with senior quarterback Riley Williams keeping defenses off balance and pushing the ball downfield.
Against El Camino Real (0-3) on Friday, that approach proved effective as Grace (3-0) pulled away for a 35-10 victory.
“It allows us to dictate the pace of the play, so we wear kids out. We are conditioned,” Coate said of his offensive scheme. “I mean, we could have played two more quarters.”
Williams completed 20 of 36 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns, two apiece to running back Owen O’Neal and wide receiver Gavin Gibbons.
Williams connected on multiple deep passes in the second half, including a 40-yard touchdown to Gibbons that put the game out of reach midway through the fourth quarter.
O’Neal, who also rushed for a touchdown and had nearly 100 yards from scrimmage, only recently moved from the offensive line to running back, according to Coate.
“Very proud of his accomplishments, working hard to learn a new position,” Coate said of O’Neal. “We like what we see.”
El Camino Real’s offensive standout Friday was also a new running back, Karson Richardson.
Richardson, a sophomore, is in his first year playing football after primarily playing basketball, according to second-year El Camino Real coach Rick Hayashida.
He looked comfortable enough Friday.
Richardson scored the Royals’ lone touchdown on a 62-yard run on the second play from scrimmage, giving El Camino Real an early lead. He continued to handle the bulk of the carries and finished with 117 rushing yards. He also had a 40-yard reception that gave El Camino Real another scoring opportunity in the second half.
“We knew he was fast. For him, it’s just getting accustomed to, you know, wearing pads and getting hit,” Hayashida said of Richardson. “He had probably only carried the ball maybe four times before this game.”
El Camino Real led 10-7 midway through the second quarter but did not score again. Grace took the lead before halftime and continued to add to it in the second half.
As the deficit grew, El Camino Real and junior quarterback Gabriel Varga were forced to look for explosive plays.
Outside of the 40-yard completion to Richardson, however, the Lancers’ defense prevented the Royals from connecting on big throws and intercepted Varga on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Landon Lasecla and Charlie Martinez came up with the interceptions for Grace.
With the game out of reach, sophomore quarterback Griffin Roskowick took over for El Camino Real’s final two possessions, but the Royals were unable to get much going against Grace’s defense.
“One really hasn’t stepped up more than the other,” Hayashida said of the quarterback competition. “So we’re kind of going with Gabe right now. But it’s just a day-by-day thing.”
Grace also committed two turnovers, including an interception by El Camino Real safety Ryan Tabolsky.
A bad Grace snap on a first-quarter punt resulted in a safety and helped El Camino Real take its 10-7 lead before the Lancers took control.
“I’m feeling good about it, but we’ve got a lot more to learn,” Coate said.
El Camino Real hosts Panorama next Friday, while Grace hosts Fillmore as nonleague play continues.