High praise for the running clock

Another Friday night, another high school game for The Orange County Register.

I got my first district game, an Orange County League tilt between Saddleback (of Santa Ana) and Costa Mesa, which was 2-5, but lost each of its last two games by two points. You can get some of the play-by-play from my story at http://www.ocvarsity.com/sports/costa-33983-mesa-yard.html, but what that won't tell you about is the 45 minutes that featured one play or how the "running clock" rule saved my bacon.

With 36 second left in the first half, Saddleback lost one of its leading rushers (one minute after another went down) to injury, and it took a bit of time to set his dislocated arm get take him off the field. Then Saddleback let the clock run down and took a penalty before punting to end the half. That was followed by 25 minutes of halftime for Costa Mesa's homecoming. That put my 10:30 deadline in danger.

But Costa Mesa was able to get a 35-point lead late in the third and boosted it to 42 points before the fourth quarter started. Several of the writers at The Northern Virginia Daily had told me about the Virginia High School League's running clock rule, and I knew California had a similar regulation, but this was my first time to see it in play.

After the start of the fourth quarter, if the lead is 35 or more, the clock runs except for scores, changes of possession or injuries. Incomplete pass? Keep that clock running. Out of bounds? Out of luck (if you wanted the clock to stop). That speedy fourth quarter got me out of Jim Scott Stadium in time to get my stats in on time, and I wrote my story in 13 minutes. Still missed 10:30, but not by much.

High schools have had this rule for baseball and softball for years. It is usually 10 runs in baseball and 15 in softball, and can end a game after five innings (instead of the regulation seven). Reporters sometimes call it the "slaughter rule," although the official name is the "mercy rule."

I won't tell you what I called it Friday night, but I was glad the CIF had mercy on me. Whoops.