It was like a microburst when Toa Taua blew past the line of scrimmage at La Playa Stadium last Saturday night. The powerful Lompoc High running back whooshed downfield and left Santa Barbara defenders scattered like loose palm fronds.
Taua scored three touchdowns in the first half, and after Lompoc’s 56-0 victory, he visited the end zone for a fourth time and took a knee. “I said a little prayer,” he said, “giving thanks to God for all the blessings he put upon us, letting us play this beautiful game, keeping me healthy, letting me have fun doing things I love.”
Lompoc’s opponents could use some prayers of their own. The Braves outscored San Marcos and Santa Barbara high schools on consecutive weeks, 128-14. They were well prepared for the Dons, who had displayed a productive passing attack while scoring 38 points a game. “Our defense was great tonight,” Lompoc coach Andrew Jones said. “It’s the first time we faced an elite quarterback [SBHS junior Frankie Gamberdella]. It’s Saturday night, the only show in town, and we played lights out.”