MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

(El Monte)- When he’s old San Gabriel quarterback Andy Guerrero will still hear the play call; “Doubles Right Zip Gator” and he’ll remember the situation…Fourth down and 7 at the Arroyo 22 with 56 seconds to play, the Knights leading 38-34…and he’ll remember the result.

A 22-yard touchdown pass to Joey Villalobos in the endzone for the, 40-38, game winner and a trip to the third round of the playoffs.

“To tell you the truth I was reading my safety,” said Guerrero. “Nothing was open so I had to get out of the pocket. I was going to run then I saw Joey open by himself and (Steven) Rivera coming from the opposite side. (Andre) Kerkhoff went deep with Crispy (Alex Villalobos) on the wheel and then Joey on the post before Rivera came.”

The scoring pass capped a big night for Guerrero as he accounted for all six of his team’s touchdowns, four by air, two by land.

“Guerrero’s one of those kids who continually surprises me everyday,” said Matadors HC Jude Oliva. “He was a little banged up coming in and got banged up in the second quarter so he was really feeling it at half time. He had to fight through it. We told him every great leader has an opportunity to step up and be great and tonight was his night. He did a great job for us, not quite the way we drew it up, but guys like him, guys like Steven Rivera use their feet and figure out a way to get it done.”

Down 19-14 at the break, things became even more critical for SG when Guerrero and Joseph Mayorga failed to hook up on a screen pass. The ball floated and was intercepted by the Knights Melvin Palacios at the Mats 24.

A heart beat later Rivera went 20-yards to Hunter Duran and it was a 25-14 advantage for the Mission Valley League champs.

Arroyo’s two-point conversion attempt failed when Peter Aholoka was stopped at the one, adding to the Knights point-after woes. In the first half two Cesar Barva PAT’s went wide.

Still, down by 11, San Gabriel had to figure out a way to get it done.

Facing a fourth and one at his own 44, Alex Villalobos went into punt formation but instead of booting the ball he tucked and ran two yards for the first down and a major turning point in the contest.

“We give Alex the option on that,” said Oliva. “Especially if he sees something he likes. We tell him; ‘if you like it, take it’…within reason. The call was his.”

Four plays, and a pass interference penalty later, Guerrero went 19-yards to Joey Villalobos to cut the score to 25-21.

As he has done with every challenge over the last four years, Arroyo’s Rivera responded with a 61-yard drive that he finished with 10-yard run to the end zone. Alex Villalobos broke through and blocked the PAT to make it 31-21 late in the third.

Five plays later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Guerrero teamed with running back Mayorga on a deep wheel route (correction on the route welcomed) for 38-yard touchdown pass. SG missed the extra point and it was 31-27 game.

The Knights picked up a first down on the next series but were forced to punt. The Matadors took possession at their own 26 with 8:38 remaining in the game.

Here, the banged up Guerrero embraced his moment. Designed runs of 12, four and three yards moved the ball to the 45. On third and three, Guerrero and Villalobos connected for 12-yards. Two plays later Guerrero went 15-yards to Isai Fernandez.

“Coach (Oliva) was in a zone,” said defensive coordinator Donald Bernard who worked the game along with Oliva from press-box. “It just seemed like whatever he called it was going to work. It was pretty inspirational.”

Guerrero advanced the ball on runs to the Arroyo 14 and three plays after that scored on a 6-yard run. David Rivera added the extra-point and it was 34-31 with 3:23 to play.

Following the kick-off the Knights started at their own eleven after a holding penalty pushed them back. Peter Aholoka added a pair of key runs. Rivera converted a third and six with a 14-yard pass to Anthony Leon. Two plays later he went 56-yards to Duran for the touchdown. The 28th career scoring connection between the two gave Arroyo a 38-34 lead, following Barva’s extra-point, with 1:24 to play.

All game long SG’s Alex Villalobos and Fernandez had been running or faking the reverse on every kick-off. On this particular return Villalobos took it from about his ten 65 yards to the Arroyo 25.

Disaster struck on the first play when Guerrero’s backwards pass to Mayorga went out of bounds costing the Mats 10-yards and a down.

On second and 20, Guerrero hit Joey Villalobos for 13-yards. A third down pass fell incomplete…And on fourth and seven from the Knights 22 came the game winner. (For the sake of history, let the record show Steven Rivera got a hand to on David Rivera’s point after following the game’s final score.)

The perspective on the sideline was Joey Villalobos was in double coverage when he caught the ball just across the goal line at the north end of Bergstrom Stadium. He also paid a price when he was sandwhiched by both Rivera and Kerkhoff.

“It’s just fulfilling,” said Oliva. “We know the job isn’t done, but fulfilling to go against a historic program like Arroyo and coming from behind shows a lot of character for our kids. I’m just excited for our kids.”

“Both teams threw everything they had at each other,” said Arroyo HC Jim Singiser. “Whew! Basically no one thought we would be here with what we graduated. Could not be more proud of a group of young men or my staff.”

The final play of the contest ended with Steven Rivera throwing deep, the ball being tipped, and Joey Villalobos intercepting the ball. The play moved SG into the semifinals, put the period on a classic game, and also ended the career of Steven Rivera.

“Rivera broke through and layed out for the block on that last PAT,” said Singiser. “He never quit, ever…I know it’s not all about him, but he’s the best I have ever seen.”

Passing

Arroyo: Steven Rivera: 17 of 25, 214 yards 2 TDs 1 Int

San Gabriel: Andy Guerrero 22 of 33, 248 yards 4 Tds 1 Int

Rushing

Arroyo: Peter Aholoka: 17-146 yards

Steven Rivera: 5-35 2Tds

San Gabriel: Andy Guerrero 24-158 yards 2 Tds

Scoring Summary

1st. Qtr.

Arroyo: 4:48: Steven Rivera 17-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Duran (Cesar Barva kick) Knights, 7-0

San Gabriel: 2:21: Andy Guerrero 2-yard run (David Rivera kick) Knights 7 Matadors 7

2nd Qtr.

Arroyo: 9:04: Peter Aholoka 19-yard run (kick fails) Knights 13 Matadors 7

San Gabriel: 2:41: Andy Guerrero 4-yards to Alex Villalobos (David Rivera kick) Matadors 14 Knights 13

Arrroyo: 0:38: Steven Rivera 7-yard run (kick failed) Knights 19 Matadors 14

3rd Qtr.

Arroyo: 9:08: Steven Rivera 20-yard pass to Hunter Duran (run failed) Knights 25 Matadors 14

San Gabriel: 4:45: Andy Guerrero  19-yard pass to Joey Villalobos (David Rivera kick) Knights 25 Matadors 21

Arroyo: 2:01: Steven Rivera 10-yard run (kick blocked) Knights 31 Matadors 21

4th Qtr.

San Gabriel: 11:54: Andy Guerrero 38-yards to Joseph Mayorga (kick failed) Knights 31 Matadors 27

San Gabriel: 3:23: Andy Guerrero 6-yard run (David Rivera kick) Matadors 34 Knights 31

Arroyo: 1:24: Steven Rivera 56-yards to Hunter Duran (Cesar Barva kick) Knights 38 Matadors 34

San Gabriel: 0:47:  Andy Guerrero 22-yard Joey Villalobos (kick blocked) Matadors 40 Knights 38