MidValleySports.Com

La Serna HC Margarito Beltran & troops survive scare from Walnut

By Tony Solorzano

(Whittier) – A 33-yard field goal by Tavis Guerra in overtime gave La Serna a 13-10 win over Walnut to advance the Lancers to the quarterfinals in the CIF Southern Section’s Southeast Division Friday night at Whittier District Field.

Nobody expected the Lancers (10-1) to struggle early in the first half, but the normally prevalent ground game was almost non-existent as the Mustangs (6-5) shut down the Lancers’ running tandem of Tommy Ruiz and Richard Alvarez. However, on the first play of the game, it looked like the high-scoring Lancers team was going to get started early.

On that first play Mustang quarterback Brandon Roach was picked off by Christian Ballesteros on their own 25 yard line. Five plays later, Alvarez scored from two yards out to give the Lancers the early 7-0 lead.

On the next series, Roach began to pick apart the Lancer secondary with short passes that resulted in the Mustangs pushing deep into Lancer territory. But the drive stalled at the Lancer 30 and the Lancers got the ball back on downs.

Unfortunately, the Lancers did the same thing in Mustang territory, having a drive stall at the 28 yard line and turning the ball over after Alvarez’ run on fourth and three was stopped at the line of scrimmage, forcing the turnover on downs with less than a minute left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, after stopping a Connor Burke run on fourth down a yard short of a first down, The Mustangs took the ball back at their own 26 yard line and Roach connected on five consecutive passes, capping the drive with a 49-yard pass to Aubrey Coleman to tie the score with 4:41 left in the half. After stopping the Lancers again, the Mustangs got the ball back with 2:35 left in the half and drove again to the Lancer 21. However, Roach’s last three passes of the half went incomplete and place kicker Nicole McKee was brought on to attempt a 38-yard field goal, but her kick was short and the Lancers took a knee to end the half.

The Lancers took the lead early in the fourth quarter as quarterback Andrew Buenrostro moved the Lancers to the Mustang 19 yard line in a 16-play drive that started with 7:17 left in the third, with the Lancers getting the ball thanks to an interception in the end zone by Andrew Rosales. It was Guerra’s 36-yard field goal that put the Lancers up 10-7 with 11:49 left in regulation.

Late in the game, Walnut would come surging back. After getting the ball on their own 38 yard line, Roach again took apart the Lancers defense with passes to Coleman and Jason Tsukuda. The Mustangs reached the Lancers’ five-yard line but two stops at the line of scrimmage and a delay of game penalty put the ball on the 10 yard line. Roach’s pass attempt to Elan Taylor in the End zone was negated by a false start penalty, but Lancer coach Margarito Beltran declined the penalty, forcing the Mustangs to bring McKee out for another field goal attempt. McKee’s 27-yard attempt sailed through the uprights and the game headed into overtime.

In the overtime, Walnut got as close as the eight-yard line but a hand off to Coleman was stopped in the backfield and after an incomplete pass, McKee came out to attempt a 29-yard field goal, but her kick was wide, giving the Lancers their shot at the win. After a run and a pass attempt went incomplete, Buenrostro broke an attempted sack and moved the ball to the 16 yard line, setting up Guerra’s game-winning kick.

Roach threw 23 passes out of 39 attempts for 280 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, but was sacked three times in the fourth quarter. Coleman was Roach’s leading receiver, catching 11 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Buenrostro connected six times out of 13 attempts for only 61 yards. Alvarez carried 14 times for only 29 yards and a touchdown, his lowest output all season. The Lancers will face the Norwalk Lancers on Friday at Excelsior Field in Norwalk.