GARDEN GROVE — Had there been a postseason to look forward to, Pacifica football coach Vinnie Lopez said he would have liked his team’s chances.

Lopez was feeling particularly confident after his Mariners finished their season by defeating Crean Lutheran, 52-27, Thursday at Bolsa Grande High School to earn a share of the Empire League title.

The victory was the third in a row for the Mariners (4-2, 4-1), who defeated Cypress, 26-21, last week and Valencia 36-13 on April 2. Because the season started so late, there are no CIF-SS playoffs this season.

“We’re playing our best football right now,” Lopez said. “Every week, I saw improvement in the guys. They just played fantastic football the past couple of weeks.”

The Mariners, ranked No. 25 in Orange County, will share the Empire League championship with No. 23 Cypress (4-1, 4-1), which defeated Kennedy 31-8 on on Thursday.

If Tustin (3-2, 3-1) defeats Valencia on Friday, the Tillers, Mariners and Centurions would finish in a three-way tie for first.

“It’s kind of disappointing that the season ends,” Lopez said. “But winning a league championship is hard, so shout out to these guys and everything they’ve done. It’s been a fantastic year.”

A trio of skill position players, who are all returning next year, capped their season with fantastic performances Thursday.

Sophomore quarterback Darius Cowens completed 14 of 20 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns. But Cowens covered more ground with his feet, rushing 13 times for 262 yards and a 69-yard touchdown.

Sophomore Jeremiah Ingram had a 49-yard punt return for a touchdown, which gave Pacifica a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, and added a 54-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

Freshman Jordan Ross had six receptions for 129 yards, with touchdown catches of 56 and 51 yards.

Ross also had a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown which gave the Mariners a 12-0 lead in the first quarter.

With such young playmakers and losing only three seniors on offense and three on defenses, Lopez said he is optimistic about next season.

The Mariners led 40-7 heading into the fourth quarter when the Saints (2-4, 1-4) put on a late surge, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, with the three scores coming on touchdown passes from quarterback Gavin Rogers.

The sophomore quarterback threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

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