All week, Vista coach Dan Williams preached for his team to establish the run. Against a Rancho Bernardo team that entered the game 2-6 and could muster little offense, the Panthers expected to have little trouble marching up the field. But leading rusher Jordan Alexander was held in check and quarterback David Fisher struggled to connect on the deep pass, keeping the Broncos in the game with several drives that started with great field position.

Fortunately for Vista, the defense dominated the game. Rancho Bernardo had no offensive points, helping Vista (5-4) go on to a 21-2 victory.

“I wasn't as happy as I thought we should have been,” Williams said. “I thought that we played pretty darn good defensively – we didn't give up a whole lot. If we continue to play defense like that, we're going to win some ballgames. Defense is going to win you championships.”

Fisher struggled all game, going just 6-for-17 for 117 yards and a touchdown. He added a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Throughout the game, he either overthrew receivers on deep patterns or took too much off and made them come back on their routes. He was tackled in the end zone for a safety in the third quarter after a ball was hiked over his head.

“Fisher didn't complete some passes that I thought he should,” said Williams. “So we were just off kilter a little bit and I don't know why.”

Troy Ware caught a 39-yard touchdown pass on a deep route, but also dropped two more that may have resulted in long touchdowns.

“Troy, he's still real young and a little timid but he's getting better and he's really going to be a stud,” Fisher said. “We had some critical plays that didn't happen, but in the fourth quarter we bounced back.”

Broncos quarterback Max Lai struggled, throwing for just 55 yards on four completions, with one interception.

Rancho Bernardo failed to score after going for it on fourth-and-6 on the 6-yard line in the third, but Lai was tackled as he threw the ball away.

With the win, the Panthers can get a home playoff game if they can defeat Rancho Buena Vista next week.

“We've got a big trophy to win, and we have to do it up front. Our defense played a heck of a game,” Fisher said.