How could Cabrillo High forget Morro Bay? No possible way. Not after the Pirates ended the Conquistadores' chance of claiming an outright league championship last year.

After what happened Friday night at Huyck Stadium, there's no way Cabrillo won't stop thinking of Morro Bay as it left with a bitter taste in its mouth again, losing the Los Padres League game 41-7 and possibly any chance of making the postseason.

The Conquistadores are now hoping there's a spot for them in the playoffs.

Four teams from the eight-team LPL receive postseason berths, and as of now Cabrillo at 2-4 in league is still alive with one league game remaining.

But with Cabrillo's (2-6 overall) inability to stop opposing offenses and its offense reverting back to its earlier woes, where it can't move the ball, it desperately needs help.

Morro Bay (6-2 overall, 4-1 LPL) exposed Cabrillo, which stacked the line trying to stop the area's leading rusher in Kevin Scott.

The Conquistadores held Scott to 49 yards below his season average of 166 yards per game, but Scott proved his worth and showed last year's 31-10 victory against Cabrillo was no fluke.

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The linebackers and defensive backs cheated toward the line almost every time Morro Bay quarterback Logan Budd took the ball from center, allowing wide receivers to sneak through the secondary with ease.

Budd took advantage of Cabrillo concentrating on Scott, throwing for a season-high four touchdowns. Remarkable for a quarterback only attempting 10 passes. Six of those were completed for 134 yards, and the Pirates will need Budd's arm as they will be hosting St. Joseph (6-2, 5-0), the league's lone unbeaten team.

“We know next week could be for all the marbles,” said Morro Bay coach John Andree, whose team has two league games left. “Hopefully (Budd's performance is) the emergence of a passing game.”

Budd revealed he could do damage. His numbers (717 yards) this season haven't been impressive, but when you have someone like Scott and his 1,280 yards and a dominating offensive line, you can pull off some amazing feats when you're not the focal point.

Twice Budd threw touchdowns on fourth down, the first one put Morro Bay up 13-0 when he hit tight end Jerome Long for a 24-yard score in the second quarter. The Pirates needed 14 yards for a first down, and Cabrillo's Colby McKissack believed the revamped defense stood a chance because no way could Morro Bay gain a first down.

“We put in a new defense in practice this week to stop their running back, like a goal line formation. It worked to an extent,” said McKissack, referring to Scott scoring only once on 22 carries. “But just like the St. Joseph game (we lost 35-28), as soon as the ball went in the air, it was six (points). Nothing you really can do about that.”

Whomever Budd threw to the receiver had a few steps on the defensive back.

Three receivers caught touchdowns, the longest belonging to Sammy Sanchez. His 46-yard score, where he beat Josh Crispin, was his second touchdown of the third quarter as the Pirates' built their lead to 34-0.

“We have high expectations and certainly it's disappointing,” said Cabrillo coach Don Cross, whose team might miss the playoffs for the first time since he took over in 2003. “We're getting outplayed right now. Our league is a mess.”

So is his offense.

The offense stumbled throughout the game, fumbling the ball away three times and turning the ball over on downs twice.

The first and last fumble led to Morro Bay touchdowns after quarterback C.J. Simmons and backup McKissack mishandled the ball.

Simmons pitched it away on an option in the first quarter and McKissack let the snap from center go right through his hands while in shotgun in the fourth. The last fumble ended up in defensive lineman Jacob Fieguth's arms while in the end zone, forcing McKissack to look at the scoreboard and shake his head in disbelief.

“Seven to 41? Yeah, right. They are not (that good),” McKissack said. “That was ridiculous.”

So ridiculous that Cabrillo won't forget Morro Bay.

Oct. 28, 2006