Playing in front of a large and boisterous Homecoming crowd, Malibu High overwhelmed league rival Villanova Prep last Friday afternoon for a 48-14 victory to continue an improbable run of dominant performances this season. Quarterback Brennan Cassone threw for three touchdowns and ran for another while running back Devon Baldinger scored three touchdowns to pace the Sharks offense.
The Homecoming festivities featured a lively halftime show with a spirited performance by the MHS cheerleaders and dance team. Senior Evan Anthony, a captain for the Sharks, took a break from the gridiron to be named Homecoming king. Anthony walked down the red carpet at midfield with Homecoming queen Carleigh Madden.
Parents fired up the grill and the smell of fresh-grilled food wafted over the field.
“It was a good game for Homecoming,” Malibu Coach Ray Humphrey said. He said that despite a “sloppy” performance, the team regrouped. “This is a great group of guys and a good team to coach. Their effort and attitude are excellent. We have only 19 guys and they are winning in great fashion.”
Malibu (5-3, 1-1), victors in five of their last six games, overcame five turnovers to win the contest. After Nate Dowler scored on an interception return for the first points of the game, the Sharks broke a 7-7 tie when Cassone connected with Anthony Turner on a 48-yard scoring strike to make it 14-7 with 9:52 remaining in the second quarter. It was Turner’s first-ever touchdown on the varsity level.
On the ensuing possession, Villanova Prep (0-7, 0-1) drove down to the Malibu 28-yard line. Facing fourth down and one, the Sharks defense stiffened and held the Wildcats on downs.
The Sharks took over and Turner once again made a key play to spark his team. On second down and 15 from the Malibu 39 yard line, Cassone hooked up with Turner on a 22-yard completion that gave Malibu the ball at the Wildcat 38 yard line. Three plays later Baldinger caught a 40-yard pass from Cassone and hit pay dirt. A missed extra point meant the Sharks had a 20-7 lead with just over two minutes to play in the first half.
Just moments later, Villanova punted back to the Sharks. Baldinger scored again on a nifty 53-yard run with less than a minute remaining that gave Malibu a commanding 27-7 lead heading into halftime.
Looking to bounce back from a disappointing 22-0 defeat to Bishop Diego in the opening game of Frontier League action, the Sharks came out in the second half and picked up where they left off.
Malibu’s defense set the tone by forcing Villanova to punt after three plays. Then on the very first offensive play from scrimmage to open the second half, Cassone found a wide-open Hunter Johnson for his third touchdown pass of the day. The 50-yard touchdown bomb gave the Sharks a 34-7 lead.
Baldinger scored again for the third time in the game on a 10-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter, and Cassone closed out the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown run of his own in the fourth period as Malibu won on what could be its final homecoming game to be played in the afternoon. The California Coastal Commission gave the greenlight last month for field lights to be installed at MHS, meaning the Sharks could play their first-ever homecoming night game on campus if fundraising to build the lights comes to pass.
Baldinger and Cassone have stepped up for Malibu this season. This is Baldinger’s first year as a running back and Cassone replaced injured starting quarterback Dylan Miller a month ago and has been very consistent in his play as the Shark’s signal caller.“Devon is doing a great job,” Humphrey said. “It’s his first year at that position and he’s taking full advantage of it.
The Sharks are searching for their first league title in school history. Malibu’s next game is at home on Fri., Nov. 4, at 3:00 p.m. against Grace Brethren. They will close out the regular season with a 7:00 p.m. contest at Santa Clara High School on Thurs., Nov. 10.