David Aldapa (Left) and Davion Gaisie combined to score five touchdowns for the Panthers
By Tim Peterson
(West Covina) – Diamond Ranch scored three touchdowns in the last seven minutes to pull off an improbable 50-43 win over West Covina Friday night on the Bulldogs home field.
West Covina was comfortably up 43-28 after Ruben Velasco scored on a 49-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Then things went inexplicably, and horribly wrong.
Everything that could go wrong for Westco seemingly did. To come back the Panthers needed a botched snap on a punt. West Covina gave them that. To rally Diamond Ranch needed to recover an onside kick and yes, the Panthers did. And in the end they needed a turnover and an interception with the game tied led to the Panthers game winning touchdown.
Joe Sebastian, who replaced the injured starter Ethan Cota in the second half, fired the game winner with 2:23 left to David Aldapa who got behind the West Covina secondary for a 25-yard touchdown. The West Covina faithful, who moments earlier had been in a celebratory mood, now sat in stunned silence.
The Panthers took over on the West Covina 39 after they picked off Aaron McCorkle. West Covina made the stop and forced Diamond Ranch to punt but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Panthers a first down at the 27. Three plays later Sebastian found Aldapa with the dagger.
A bad snap on a punt set up Diamond Ranch at the West Covina 27. On third down Carter Henderson caught a 20-yard TD strike from Sebastian to to cut it to 43-36 after two-point conversion.
Then came the inevitable onside kick and the inevitable Diamond Ranch recovery. Davion Gaisie busted off a 40 yard scoring run on third down to get the Panthers even.
On the ensuing possession, the turnover…
*** West Covina led 29-14 at the half as Kevin Thomas had a 49-yard touchdown run and a 22-yard TD jaunt.
*** Leading 22-14 Jacob Acosta hauled in a 34-yard pass from McCorkle to out the Bulldogs up 29-14.
*** Gaisie had three touchdowns on the night including an 80-yard run to put the Panthers up 7-0.
*** Gaisie had 125 yards on 15 carries and the three scores.
*** Thomas had 197 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns for West Covina.
*** Mike Gomez’ 52-yard run in the third quarter gave West Covina a 36-22 advantage in the third.
*** Gomez finished with 118 yards on nine carries and a score.
*** Cota left the game in the third quarter after throwing for 141 yards and a 35-yard rushing touchdown in the first half.
*** The Bulldogs scored on a double pass in the second quarter when Quintus Alton took a toss from McCorkle and connected with Velasco for a 61-yard pass play.
*** “We came out a little flat. But we never quit and came out and got the W. We made the plays when we needed to.” – Diamond Ranch HC Jimmy Welker.
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