Marina’s Fast Start Fades as El Toro Storms Back, 42-21

El Toro overcame an early three-touchdown hole behind sophomore quarterback Jaxson Algaze, shutting out Marina in the second half to pull away for a 42-21 nonleague win Thursday at Westminster High.

Marina jumped out to a fast start, capitalizing on three El Toro turnovers to build a 21-0 lead. Gage Rinaldi forced a fumble on a sack of Algaze, and Ben Ramos punched it in from 17 yards out on the ensuing drive. Hudson Kent then turned an interception into a 70-yard pick-six to make it 14-0. Four plays after a Broden Donaldson fumble recovery, quarterback Maverick Coverkick capped the surge with a 1-yard sneak to push the lead to 21-0.

El Toro settled in from there, answering with a pair of clean scoring drives in the second quarter. The first came on a 66-yard march finished off by an Ethan Rodriguez 1-yard touchdown run, set up by a diving one-handed sideline catch from Matt Arroyo on the previous play. Arroyo factored into the next scoring drive as well, hauling in receptions of 39 and 22 yards to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Algaze to Bryce Thacker, cutting Marina’s lead to 21-14 heading into halftime.

The Chargers’ defense carried the momentum into the second half, forcing a three-and-out on Marina’s opening drive of the third quarter. El Toro tied the game moments later on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Algaze to Thacker. Marina’s next possession stalled when the Vikings elected to go for it on fourth-and-5 from their own 40 and came up short, handing El Toro a short field. The Chargers capitalized immediately, with Algaze finding Henry Maffetore for a 31-yard touchdown to take their first lead of the game. El Toro didn’t look back from there, adding to the total and shutting Marina out the rest of the way.

Algaze finished 26 of 34 passing for 338 yards and five touchdowns. Thacker was his top target, hauling in 11 catches for 130 yards and four touchdowns, while Maffetore added 11 receptions for 80 yards and a score. Through two games, Algaze has thrown for 555 yards and five touchdowns as El Toro has now rallied from behind in back-to-back wins, following a 34-15 comeback victory over Tesoro in their opener.

Marina drops to 0-2 on the season.