By Big Tony Solorzano
(Whittier)- A 24-yard field goal by Arian Abghari proved to be enough for Crescenta Valley to advance to the second round of the CIF Southern Section’s Southeast Division Playoffs with a 27-24 defeat of Santa Fe Friday night at Titan Stadium,
The game was a see-saw battle, but the Falcons (8-3) took advantage of some miscues by Justin Rincon, intercepting the junior quarterback twice including one with less than a minute to go to seal the victory and end the season for the Chiefs (7-4).
Falcons quarterback Kyle Cota opened the scoring four minutes into the game with a 1-yard run.
On the ensuing series, SF’s William Bomer took a hand off at the 25-yard line and broke through the secondary for a 75-yard score.
In the second quarter, the shootout began as Abghari put the Falcons back up 10-7 with a 21-yard field goal, three seconds into the quarter. Harry Pessy increased the lead to 10 points on his 11-yard run with 8:47 left in the half.
The Chiefs began their comeback halfway through the quarter as Andrew Jackson caught a 27-yard pass from Rincon to cut the lead to 17-14. Bomer scored his second touchdown with nine seconds left in the half, scoring from a yard out to take a 21-17 lead at the half.
In the third, David Whitaker put the Falcons back into the lead by catching a 30-yard pass from Cota with 7:04 left in the quarter. The Chiefs drove to the Falcons’ 13-yard line but were stopped and Manuel Meza came on to kick a 30-yard field goal to tie the game with 3:51 in the quarter.
Abghari scored two minutes into the final quarter, giving the Falcons the 27-24 lead on his 24-yard field goal. Rincon tried to rally the Chiefs on their subsequent drives but his final five pass attempts were incomplete, including an interception by Dai Dai McFadden with less than a minute to seal the close victory.
For the Falcons, Cota went five of 12 for 67-yards, threw one touchdown and an interception from behind center. Pessy led the ground game, carrying 22 times for 130-yards and a touchdown, Cota trailed him with 120-yards on 15 carries and his touchdown. David Whitaker caught two passes for 59-yards and a score.
For the Chiefs, Rincon closed out his season going six for 17 for 115-yards, he threw one touchdown but was intercepted twice. Bomer ended his Chiefs career with 18 carries for 150-yards and two touchdowns to lead the ground game. Andrew Jackson ended with four catches for 69-yards and a score, while Cameron Oliver ended his Chiefs career with three catches for 66-yards.
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