August 21, 2025 – Huntington Beach, CA — In a game dominated by defense and field position, the Marina Vikings outlasted the Foothill Knights 13-7 on Thursday night in a non-league season opener.
Both teams struggled to find rhythm early, with neither offense able to break through in the first half. The game remained scoreless until the third quarter, when Foothill finally broke through. The Knights capitalized on strong field position and punched in the game’s first touchdown, taking a 7-0 lead and shifting momentum to their sideline.
Marina answered back in the fourth quarter with 11 minutes remaining, tying the game at 7-7. From there, the Vikings defense dug in, forcing stops and setting up the offense with chances to seal the game. In the closing minutes, Marina delivered the dagger, finding the end zone again to go up 13-7, a lead they would not relinquish.
The victory highlighted Marina’s grit on both sides of the ball. Standout performances came from #12 Francis Saporito(overall player of the game), #1 Carson Hunnicutt (offensive player of the game), and #30 Gabriel Jessee (defensive player of the game), who anchored a unit that stifled Foothill’s late comeback attempts.
With the win, Marina improves to 1-0 and will prepare for another non-league test against Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, CA), who enter 1-0 after a 35-0 rout of Portola.
Foothill drops to 0-1 and will regroup ahead of a matchup against the Tustin Tillers (1-0) on Friday, August 29. The Tillers opened their season with a 30-17 win over San Clemente and will look to keep momentum rolling.
For Marina, Thursday’s win sets a tone for a program eager to make noise this season, while Foothill walks away knowing they were just a few plays shy of flipping the result.
About the Author
