MidValleySports.Com

Estevan Tonche kicks the Spartans to victory.

(Montebello) The Schurr Spartans rallied to squeak out a 16-15 victory over the visiting San Gabriel Matadors capping the homecoming festivities Friday night at Ken Davis Field on Schurr’s campus.

The rally was capped by a game winning 46-yard field goal by Estevan Tonche as time was evaporating into the night.

The game winning drive started at the Spartan 34 where Schurr took possession after holding on defense and forcing the Matadors to punt on fourth and short on the San Gabriel side of the field. Eric Perez and Abel Troncoza provided much of the yardage on the drive picking up a couple of first downs along the way.

It appeared that the drive came to an end when the Spartans Sal Chavez was picked just as Schurr was penetrating into the Matador side of the field. The interception however was nullified as San Gabriel was flagged for a roughing the passer call giving the Spartans new life.

A couple more Chavez passes fell incomplete and Schurr trotted Tonche onto the field facing a field goal attempt of 51-yards. The initial snap was put down but before Tenoche could make the attempt, whistles blew halting the play. The flag was sorted and San Gabriel was called for being offside moving the ball five yards closer for Tenoche.

When the ball was snapped again, Tonche put his foot into a solid kick that sailed into the cool Montebello air and snuck through the left post for the game winner. The stunned Matadors were left totally shocked at what had just happened.

The final score was the only time on the evening that the Spartans had the lead. San Gabriel held as much as a nine point lead with a little under eight minutes left in the third quarter. The Matadors took that lead on a 74-yard bomb from Marqus Valenzuela to Gabriel Larios. Valenzuela came on after Mikal Quintanilla came out of the game due to an injury.

Schurr came back on the ensuing possession to make it 9-7 on an eight yard run by Troncoza and with 2:56 left in the final frame, it was Troncoza again this time on a 31-yard run to get the Spartans to within two.

The ensuing pooch kick was covered by the Matadors at their own 30 and with just under three minutes only needed one or two first downs to close out the game. Those first downs never came setting up the last minute drive and heroics of Tenoche.

After the game Spartan head coach Marco Ramirez commented on his defense’s performance. “We’ve been playing them (San Gabriel) for years and they are always tough to stop. We felt like we had a good plan and our defense over achieved today.”