Dilbeck’s big night helps surging Oilers

HUNTINGTON BEACH — In the first half, with the game still close, senior running back Jack Dilbeck kept running.

In the second half, with the Huntington Beach High football team trying to run down the clock, Dilbeck kept running.

And the Oilers as a team run into their Sea View League games with plenty of momentum Friday night, after posting a 49-35 nonleague win over San Juan Hills at Huntington Beach High.

Huntington Beach (3-2) won its third straight game behind Dilbeck. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior looked right at home on homecoming, rambling for a career-high 245 yards and four touchdowns. And, like a gracious running back might, he gave much of the credit after the game to the Oilers’ dominant offensive line of left tackle Cody Tucker, left guard Kurtis Ackerman, center Eric Chan, right guard Austin Clifford and right tackle Zane Hudak.

“They opened up huge holes tonight,” Dilbeck said. “I can’t be thankful enough for what they’ve been doing for me. They gave me the opportunity to run the ball in the open field, and I just try to make something happen after they give me that opportunity.”

Huntington Beach Coach Eric Lo said the game plan was to try to keep the San Juan Hills offense off the field. The Stallions (2-3) have no seniors but ran unique offensive formations Friday night.

They wasted little time scoring their first two touchdowns off the night, both on long runs up the middle. Connor O’Modhrain’s 72-yard scamper was followed by quarterback Will Acromite’s 80-yard dash, and San Juan Hills (2-3) had a 14-13 lead after a quarter.

“Coach [Greg] Gibson does a great job,” Lo said. “Their quarterback is very athletic and they’ve got some pretty decent guys on the outside who gave us some trouble. We’ve got to do better on defense.”

But a key interception by Oilers senior safety Nick Phipps in the second quarter led to the Oilers’ third touchdown, on a three-yard pass to senior Cameron Pizzica. Senior quarterback Guite ran in the two-point conversion, and Huntington Beach had a 21-14 lead.

Guite threw for an economical 108 yards and three more scores through the air. Pizzica caught another touchdown and senior receiver Kaller Roemer, who caught four passes for 52 yards, also had a 26-yard touchdown.

“Our three big offensive weapons [Guite, Dilbeck and Roemer] all came to play and played very well,” Lo said. “We need that. If we’re going to have success in league, we need those guys to step up like they did.”

After San Juan Hills scored on yet another run up the middle, Dilbeck broke off his longest run of the night, cutting a 56-yard run up the Stallions sideline to give the Oilers their 28-20 halftime advantage.

Pizzica’s second touchdown grab pushed the lead to two touchdowns and late in the third quarter the Oilers began running their version of the NFL “Wildcat” offense, where the running back takes the direct snap.

Dilbeck took one and scored from 12 yards out, pushing the lead to 42-20 with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

“We knew as an offense that if we just came out and kept putting up points, the defense would do the job and we’d come out with a win,” Dilbeck said.

Guite agreed.

“We just played great,” he said. “It was an overall great effort. The running game opens up the passing game.”

The Oilers open up Sea View League play Friday night at Tustin High against defending league champ Foothill. The Knights are 0-5 but have played a tough nonleague schedule.