Arroyo Grande quarterback Clark Goossen took the ball from the shotgun, dropped back and sent it flying through the low mist that blanketed Hitchen Stadium on opening night Friday.

Even as the attempt slipped out of the receiver's hands - nothing for the highlight reel - a fan along the sideline shouted excitedly, “This is like the West Coast offense!”

The fan paused, and then added with wonder, “This isn't like Arroyo Grande at all!”

It is now - and it worked.

Two quarters later, Goossen started handing off to his backs, moving methodically down the field with a punishing power game.

“That's old school Arroyo Grande!” yelled a member of the spirit team, his chest draped in blue and gold paint.

It still is - and it worked too.

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Mix and match, indeed.

Arroyo Grande coach Tom Goossen toyed with the visiting Bishop Diego defense - mixing a newly installed pro offense and shotgun with the old Eagle standby, the fly, in a 21-14 win.

“It's a big change for us,” offensive lineman Zach May said. “Arroyo Grande is use to running the fly.”

The fly is primarily a rushing offense, using deception and misdirection to surprise the defense. Arroyo Grande has run the fly offense for the last two decades, winning numerous CIF Southern Section titles in that time. However, last season was a difficult experiment for the Eagles under first-year quarterback Clark Goossen - the team winning one game in league, missing the playoffs.

The Eagles worked with a short memory Friday. Clark Goossen kicked off this season working from the shotgun - at least for the first half.

On his third series, he let one fly toward Bo Cabalar - open as one could be at mid-field.

“Bo dropped the pass,” Tom Goossen said. “But we have all the faith in the world in him.”

Just before halftime, the senior “hybrid” - just as dangerous catching the ball as running it - made it up to his quarterback. Cabalar caught the ball in stride and made one move after another, throwing a final emphatic stiffarm to a charging Cardinal before entering the endzone for a 36-yard score.

That score, with 56 ticks left in the half, equaled Bishop Diego's efforts on its opening drive of the evening - knotting the score at 7-7.

Bishop Diego's early score seemed to spell trouble. The Cardinals finished second in the Frontier League last year before charging all the way to the Mid-Valley Division championship game. Santa Clara - also a Frontier League team at the time - won the title over its league foe. This season, both Bishop Diego and Santa Clara move into the ultra-competitive Tri-Valley League - home of Oaks Christian, Oak Park, Nordhoff and Carpinteria.

Bishop Diego also graduated most of its program, yet, entered Friday's matchup with Arroyo Grande the favorite.

But after Cabalar's score leading into halftime, Arroyo Grande looked anything but the underdog.

“Our passing has improved tremendously, we plan on throwing a lot,” Cabalar said.

He gave his quarterback props. “Clark stepped up, he has a lot more confidence with one year of experience.”

Goossen returned to receiving the ball under-center, and the offense returned to the smashmouth running game in the third quarter, Christian Crichton getting the bulk of the carries, along with Ryan Hickey.

And despite a 40-yard field goal attempt sailing wide left on the opening series of the second half, the defense became Arroyo Grande's best offense. Bishop Diego snuck a first down past Arroyo Grande before Jordan Murray laid out Paul Garcia. The next handoff was botched, and Eagle Andrew Ettedgue alertly fell on the ball.

Eagles in business at the Cardinals' 30.

Goossen shared the carries between his two backs, Crichton breaking off a 20-yard run before Hickey finished off the quick drive with a 2-yard score. Following the missed extra point, Arroyo Grande took a 13-7 lead.

And then the defense got greedy. Bishop Diego seemed ready to wrestle the lead away, marching downfield to the 6-yard line. Quarterback Anthony Martinez rolled out of the pocket to the farside and looked ready to beat the defense to the corner of the endzone. The defense, instead, beat him to a pulp, jarring the ball lose at the 2-yard line. Kyle Kleinsmith fell on the ball for the Eagles, a game-changing play only to be recreated at the start of the fourth quarter.

Once again, Bishop Diego carelessly coughed up the ball, this time defensive back Kelly Shepard recovered.

Arroyo Grande stuck with the running game - six straight attempts sustaining a drive late in the fourth quarter for another score. This time it was Crichton who broke the pylons up the middle, and Clark Goossen's short run for the 2-point conversion gave his squad a 21-7 lead with 2:59 left.

Bishop Diego did not surrender, scoring with 38 seconds left. However, the onside kick was first touched by a Cardinal well ahead of the required 10 yards.

Next up for Arroyo Grande is a first-ever game with Nipomo at home Friday. Nipomo and Arroyo Grande have faced each other in other sports over the years, fostering a healthy rivalry between the two schools separated by all of 10 miles.

Sept. 6, 2008