Using speed in the running game and a tenacious pass defense, the Lompoc Braves (1-2) won their home opener, 19-7 over the San Marcos Royals (0-2) on a chilly Friday night at Huyck Stadium.

The Braves defense sacked Royals quarterback Sean Kerr seven times, with senior lineman Gilberto Rios taking Kerr down four times.

Kerr was 5-of-20 for 82 yards and spent most of the night running for his life. Several incompletions were because the rush forced Kerr to throw the ball early.

“He played a heck of a game,” Lompoc coach Robin Luken said about Rios. “He had two or three sacks on his own, he had a couple of hurries and he was on quite a few tackles.”

“He ran around the field really well tonight,” he continued, “he did a great job.”

Also running well on the field in the game was running back Bobby Collins. He ran the ball 17 times for 194 yards. Most of his yardage came on the outside. Receiving good blocking and able to turn up field, Collins burned the defensive backfield. Runs to the outside included scampers for 21, 15, 16 19 and 49 yards.

“When he hits the corner - when you run 47 in the quarter (mile) and you are in the state meet,” Luken explained, “you are pretty dog gone fast.”

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“It feels good to be back on the field,” said Collins. “The offensive line helped me a lot.”

Collins and quarterback Daryl Aguilar were not in the lineup in last week's loss to Nipomo due to eligibility questions. But those questions were answered and the paperwork was completed on Friday afternoon, clearing the two starters to play.

“It's nice when you have all the guys who can run and all the guys who can play and make big plays,” Luken said.

“I'm feeling pretty good,” Collins said about being in shape, “but I could be better.”

San Marcos running back Andy Segal ran the ball 33 times in the game for 174 yards, but most of the yardage was between the 20 yard lines. The Lompoc defense stiffened inside the 20 and stopped several Royals drives.

Twice San Marcos was forced to attempt field goals in the first quarter. The first attempt, a 17-yarder, failed due to a bad snap at the end of the opening drive of the game for the Royals.

Segal ran the ball five times for 35 yards and Kerr completed a swing pass to Segal for eight. The drive stalled at the 10, before the bad snap.

The second drive for San Marcos began at the Lompoc 48 after a short punt by Daryl Aguilar and took almost five minutes off the clock. Segal ran nine straight times for 33 yards, but was thrown for a one-yard loss on third-and-10. A 29-yard field goal attempt went wide.

Lompoc in their first two drives gained only 13 yards before putting together a 8-play, 37 yard drive that ended on a fake punt that fell short of the first down marker.

The first score of the game came in the next Lompoc drive. Starting at their own 28, the Braves drove down the field for just under five minutes and scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper by Aguilar. Collins ran four times in the drive for 24 yards.

The big play came on a second a 15 on the San Marcos 30. Aguilar pumped once then threw a perfect strike to Masson Blow coming out of the backfield. Blow caught the ball in stride and was finally brought down at the one.

Leading 7-0 at the break, the Braves looked like they were going to move farther ahead of Marcos with the second half opening drive. Lompoc opened with a 12-play drive that began at their own 19.

Collins accounted for 45 yards on the ground and two yards off a swing pass in a drive that used almost five minutes. With a first and ten on the Royals 16, Lompoc fumbled and lost the ball.

Unable to take advantage of the turnover, San Marcos went three and out and were forced to punt.

Taking the ball at their 32, Lompoc needed only five plays to score again. On second and 10, Collins broke several tackles and ran 35 yards to the San Marcos 33. Masson Blow gained two yards on the next play, before Aguilar hit Steven Morehead for a 27-yard completion down to the San Marcos four. Morehead had to make the catch while diving into the corner.

Aguilar ran a quarterback sweep to the corner of the end zone for the score. The extra point failed and the Braves led 13-0.

San Marcos got onto the scoreboard with a quick six play drive that started on the 41-yard line. Kerr completed a 24-yard pass to Garrett Brown and Segal ran five times for 36-yards, the last a 16-yard run into the endzone.

With a chance to get back control of the game, the Royals tried an on-side kick and recovered the ball. The officials ruled that a Royal touched the ball before it went the required 10 yards and the Braves took over on the Royal 49.

Collins was off to the races on the first play and swept around the left side of the line and cut back into the middle of the field for a touchdown.

San Marcos could not get another successful drive started as the Lompoc pass defense took over.

“They're coming around,” Luken said about his team, which is finally together. “You watch them , they congratulate each other. They like each other and that's a big thing. When guys like each other, they're gonna play hard for one another.”

“This game, you gotta have that,” he continued. “If it's an individual thing, it's not gonna go far.”

Lompoc will host Dos Pueblos next Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 15, 2007