MidValleySports.Com

The Miracle Mats of 2011

San Gabriel 29 San Dimas 28 FINAL

(San Gabriel) – Matador running back Joseph Mayorga scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left in the fourth quarter and Hunter Garcia stopped Devante Brown on a two-point coversion to give San Gabriel a stunning 29-28 win over San Dimas Saturday night to advance to the CIF Mid-Valley Division Finals.  

The Mid-Valley Division semifinal came down a series of tw0-point conversion attempts. The one that was converted and the two that were missed.

After the Matadors pulled within two, 16-14, at the start of the third quarter the Saints answered back. Domonic Jollevet scored on a 9-yard run to make it 22-14. However, instead of kicking the extra-point for a two possession lead, SD HC Bill Zernickow rolled the dice and went for the deuce.

Shawn Kennedy’s pass fell incomplete the battle for the final spot in next Saturday’s championship remained a one possession contest.

With the door left open SG stepped through and tied the game with 57 ticks left in the third on Andy Guerrero’s 38-yard pass to Joseph Mayorga. The Saints Cody McNeal tipped the ball but it landed in the arms of Mayorga who scored.

Down two, 22-20, the Matadors went for two. San Dimas was hit with an illegal substitution penalty to move the ball half the distance to the goal line. Thirty seconds later SG was sent back five yards for a delay of game. Going for the deuce from the six, Guerrero hit Alex Villalobos with the tying two.

San Dimas drove deep into San Gabriel territory on its next possession before turning the ball over on downs at the 32.

With 11:16 to play and 68-yards to go, Guerrero pieced together an 11-play drive that culminated with Mayorga scoring on his 2-yard run. Mayorga keyed the drive by picking up 18-yards on a pass that took the ball to the two. Prior to that Guerrero converted third and fourth down situations with short passes to Chris Valdez and Isai Fernandez.

Mats kicker David Rivera added the point after to make the score 29-22.

With 6:07 to play, and the season in the balance, the Saints rapidly moved the ball down field. Starting at their own 43 they got runs of 24-yards from Brown and 11-yards from Dillon Corona to set up a first and goal at the nine. Two successive SD plays. including a touchdown run by Brown, were called back on holding penalties before Brown scored on a fly sweep with 2:23 to play.

Again Zernickow made the decision to go for the win and advancement to the CIF finals. The same play was called, the Matadors were “Noles Cover Zero” and Joey Villalobos got his feet…and Garcia finished him off.

It looked like it might be a long night for San Gabriel when Brown returned the opening kick off 93 yards for a touchdown for an immediate 7-0 lead. After stoppping San Gabriel the Saints drove down the field again. They didn’t get the ball into the the endzone but Austin Hilpert booted a 30 yard field goal for a 10-0 San Dimas advantage.

With a 53 point loss to San Dimas earlier in the season still fresh on their minds, the Matadors needed to respond and did exactly that. They marched down the field and Steven Garcia finished it with a six yard touchdown run to cut the lead 10-7 after one. 

Shawn Kennedy threw a six yard touchdown pass to Noah Reep early in the second quarter but Hilpert’s all important extra point missed the mark giving the Saints a nine point lead. San Dimas had an opportunity to score again late in the quarter but penalties and miscues halted the drive. The Saints carried a 16-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.

San Gabriel took the kick off to start the third quarter and the offense went to work. Guerrero did the bulk of the work himself continually running out of the wildcat as the Mats steadily moved the chains. Guerrero culimnated the drive with a 13 yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 16-14.

This led to the three two point conversions that ultimately decided the trip to the Finals. 

“There was no question we had to go for two to win the game,” said San Dimas Coach Bill Zernickow. “They were in the same defensive alignment as when Brown scored the touchdown. So that’s how it goes.”       

The victory pushes San Gabriel into the finals for the first time since 2003, to meet Monrovia for the first time since 1980, whom they haven’t beat since 1975. 

Summary

1st. Qtr.

San Dimas-11:46: Devante Brown 93-yard kick-off return (Austin Hilpert kick): SD 7 SG 0

San Dimas-5:05: Austin Hilpert 31-yard field goal: SD 10 SG 0

San Gabriel-0:58: Steven Garcia 6-yard run (David Rivera kick): SD 10 SG 7

2nd Qtr.

San Dimas-9:04: Shawn Kennedy 6-yard pass to Noah Reep (kick failed): SD 16 SG 7

3rd Qtr.

San Gabriel-8:48: Andy Guerrero 13-yard run (David Rivera kick): SD 16 SG 14

San Dimas-7:25: Domonic Jollevet 9-yard run (pass failed): SD 22 SG 14

San Gabriel-0:57: Andy Guerrero 38-yard pass to Joseph Mayorga (Pass to Alex Villalobos): SD 22 SG 22

4th Qtr.

San Gabriel-6:15: Joseph Mayorga 2-yard run (David Rivera kick): SG 29 SD 22

San Dimas-2:23: Devante Brown 1-yard run (run failed) SG 29 SD 28