Nothing was easy for the Knights & Braves on Friday night. (Photo by Martha Macias)
By Joe Torosian
(El Monte)- Every get those birthday candles you can’t blow out? The kind that keep reigniting when they appear to be out? Welcome to Friday night at B.L. Bergstrom Stadium.
When Arroyo’s 56-53 victory over Baldwin Park, in the first round of the Mid-Valley Division playoffs, is told it will center around the the combined 109 points, the over 700 yards of passing, 500 yards rushing and nine lead changes. However, history could forget the name of Chaz Miller.
Miller, a back up quarterback, is the one who leaped into the air to secure the Braves onside kick in the final minute of the game. While briefly hovering off the ground he was blasted in the torso, and then hammered by the turf of Bergstom before a mass of humanity landed on him.
After a 405/101 interchange like pile up was cleared, Miller emerged with the trophy, the win, and a third consecutive trip to the semi-finals.
“I was thinking about it,” Arroyo HC Jim Singiser said if thoughts of the 2011, 40-38, shootout loss to San Gabriel at home were playing in his head. “It was there, but I don’t know maybe we exorcised those San Gabriel demons.”
The Mission Valley League champion Knights were the clear favorite going in against Baldwin Park, the last team invited to the post season dance, but it was the Braves who jumped out to an early 13-0 lead.
Arroyo would counter, but they were unable to gain any semblance of control until they opened the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns and took a 49-40 lead. Even then they needed Randy Amezcua’s third touchdown run with 3:06 to play to offset a pair of Michael Moran touchdown passes to Jayson Miller and Raymen Barraza.
*** “The PAT’s BLANKED-us up!”—Baldwin Park quarterback Michael Moran via twitter.
***Moran scores on 4-yard run to give the Braves 6-0 lead.
***Baldwin Park failed on three of eight point after attempts.
***Moran 39-yard bubble screen pass to Raymen Barraza for a touchdown makes it 13-0 3:40 to play in the first.
***Arroyo quarterback Nathan Coto 11-yard touchdown pass to Jose Valdivia with 1:42 left in first.
***Knights Coto completes 15 of 28 for 365 yards, 3 Tds, one interception. Rushes for 140 yards on 12 carries.
***End of 1st. Qtr.: Baldwin Park 13 Arroyo 7
***Knights Randy Amezcua scores on 32-yard run at 6:32 in the 2nd Qtr.
***Arroyo’s Amezcua gains 102 yards on 16 attempts and 3 Tds.
***Braves running back Malik Abston 16-yard scoring run up the middle with 2:30 left in the half.
***BP’s Abston gains 228 yards on 18 carries and 2 Tds.
***Arroyo answers with 1:04 left in the half with Amezcua’s 1-yard scoring run. The 80-yard drive is highlighted by Coto’s 23-yard pass to David Cotero on third and 10 and then a 30-yard strike to Nico Lozano.
***End of 2nd Qtr.: Arroyo 21 Baldwin Park 20
***Braves Abston 55-yard touchdown run at 10:25 in the third. BP 27 Arroyo 21.
***Knights Coto 8-yard run makes it 28-27, short drive highlighted with 33-yard pass to Jose Avalos.
***BP’s Moran 10-yard pass to Jayson Miller at 3:14 in the 3rd. makes it 34-28 Braves.
***Knights Coto 5-yard touchdown pass to Cotero at 1:12 mark makes it 35-34 Arroyo.
***Arroyo receiving: Nico Lozano 4/153yds, Cotero 4/60yds Td, Avalos 4/110yds Td, Jose Valdivia 1/11 Td, Randy Amezcua 1/16yds, Gabriel Gomez 1/15yds.
***Braves, 0:24 in 3rd qtr., Moran 74-yard touchdown pass to freshman Luis Flores. Two-point conversion pass fails.
***Moran completes 22 of 35 for 348 yards, 5 Tds, one interception. Rushes for 62 yards, TD, on 13 carries.
***End of 3rd Qtr.: Baldwin Park 40 Arroyo 35.
***Knights Amezcua 2-yard run at 9:41 mark of fourth. Coto converts a third & short with a pass to Avalos, overcomes a second & 17 with 45-yard pass to Lozano to highlight drive. Arroyo 42 Baldwin Park 40.
***Braves next drive ends with a turnover on downs at the Arroyo 36.
***First play of possession Coto to Avalos on seam route goes 64-yards for a touchdown. 5:53 to play, Arroyo 49 Baldwin Park 40.
***BP’s Moran 8-yard touchdown pass to Miller. Barraza’s 48-yard catch and run highlight drive. Point after fails. 4:39 to play, Arroyo 49 Baldwin Park 46.
***Baldwin Park receiving: Raymen Barraza 11/184yds 2 Tds, Jayson Miller 7/65yds 2 Tds, Malik Abston 2/24yds, Luis Flores 1/74yds Td. (Julio Tinajero 1/53 on option pass from Christian Barraza)
***Penalty/Failed onside kick gives Arroyo short field. Amezcua scores third touchdown fourth play of drive with 3:06 remaining. Arroyo 56 Baldwin Park 46.
***Final Braves drive goes 77 yards on 14 plays, Moran finishes it with 5-yard touchdown pass to Raymen Barraza.
***Chaz Miller recovers onside kick. Arroyo wins.
***Baldwin Park started on the offensive line: LT: Francisco Perez. LG: Freddie Gallegos. C: Jerry Martinez. RG:#58. RT: Luis Palma.
***Arroyo started on the offensive line: LT: Joseph Pinon. LG: Sergio Mardueno. C: Ronnie Galvan. RG: Mark Rangel. RT: Adrian Hernandez.
***Arroyo is 4-0 all time versus Baldwin Park.
***Braves finish 2013 campaign 7-4 after going 0-10 in 2012.
***The Knights have now won 10 straight games, they are 10-1 and headed to Schurr next week. The Spartans were victorious at Viewpoint on Friday night.
*** The 56 points scored is the most ever in a post-season game for Arroyo. The 53 points allowed is the most the Knights have given up in a CIF game since losing 55-0 at La Habra in 2006.
***”53 points, never looked so good to me.”—Jim Singiser.
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