First year LC HC Dan Yoder, following a post-game shower, celebrates the Spartans playoff birth.
(South Pasadena)- “I said; ‘Guys we can kick the point after and keep playing or we can go for two, win the game, and go to the playoffs’,” said La Canada head coach Dan Yoder about his choice to go for the game winning two-point conversion. “I looked into their eyes and there was no doubt. They wanted to win it.”
Trailing 14-13, and the season on the line for both teams, Rocky Moore brought the Spartans to the line of scrimmage. Before getting set the La Canada and Temple City players showed respect for one another and shook hands. Then they lined up.
On the last play of the third overtime, Moore took the snap, stayed in the pocket then rolled to his right before finding Michael Arkfeld in the corner of the end zone for the tie-breaker ending, CIF advancing, deuce.
“My advisors (staff) wanted to run this play,” Yoder said. “It hasn’t failed all year. We don’t know who the primary receiver is on the play, it just works.”
The Spartans earlier knocked off South Pasadena 39-20 then waited for Temple City to arrive from San Marino where the Rams had lost earlier to the Titans.
“It’s hard,” one TC assistant said after the game. “A little over an hour ago we were the second place team in the Rio Hondo, now we’re done.”
Its the first time Temple City has missed the playoffs since 1997.
One athletic director explained the reason for the Friday night tie breaker was the result of the wording the Rio Hondo League constitution. All the AD’s at the reading believed the tie-breakers needed to be settled by the last day of play. Which was Friday. After clarification came that Saturday was an option the decision had already been made and sent down the line.
Many high school fields were already scheduled out, so the Friday night plan remained in effect.
For La Canada the playoff seedings await on Sunday, the Rams its back to the weights in December.
Temple City-La Canada Tie Breaker
Play-by-Play
First Overtime
Temple City
Temple City 1 & 10 LC 25
Justin Smith 18-yd run 1&Goal 7
Justin Smith sacked -17 2&Goal 24
DELAY OF GAME TC 2&Goal 29
Justin Smith incomplete pass 3&Goal 29
Justin Smith tackled -2 4&Goal 31
48-yard field goal missed (Nick Palmer)
RUNNING INTO THE KICKER LC 4&Goal 26
43-yard field goal missed (Nick Palmer)
La Canada
La Canada 1&10 TC 25
Kevin Hurlbutt 9-yd pass from Rocky Moore 2&1 16
Daleep Sandhu no gain 3&1 16
Daleep Sandhu no gain 4&1 16
Rocky Moore incomplete pass
TC 0 LC 0
Second Overtime
La Canada
La Canada 1&10 TC 25
Rocky Moore incomplete pass 1&10 25
PASS INTERFERENCE TC 1&10 12
Jay Kolina 11-yd pass from Rocky Moore 1&Goal 1
Daleep Sandhu 1-yd run Touchdown (Dodge Williams PAT)
TC 0 LC 7
Temple City
Temple City 1&10 LC 25
Andrew Torres 11-yd pass from Justin Smith 1&10 14
Justin Smith 6-yd run 2&4 8
Colin Smith recovers fumble -7 3&11 15
Max Ruckle 15-yd pass from Justin Smith Touchdown (Drew Tinsley PAT)
TC 7 LC 7
Third Overtime
Temple City
Temple City 1&10 LC 25
David Spratt 25-yards from Justin Smith Touchdown (Drew Tinsley PAT)
TC 14 LC 7
La Canada
La Canada 1&10 TC 25
Daleep Sandhu 11-yd run 1&10 14
FALSE START LC 1&15 19
Josh Hanson 19-yd pass from Rocky Moore Touchdown
(Michael Arkfeld pass from Rocky Moore)
TC 14 LC 15
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