Mark Wicke score the winning touchdown and runs in the two point game winning conversion.
By Tim Peterson
(San Marino) – San Marino rallied from a three touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Sierra Canyon 36-35 Saturday night in the CIF Open Division State Bowl. And the Titans did it all without their starting quarterback, Carson Glazier, who was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with an injury.
Mark Wicke scored on a one yard run with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter to pull the Titans within 35-34. San Marino head coach Mike Hobbie then decided to roll the dice and go for the two and the win. Wicke took the snap out of the Wildcat and plunged into the end zone to give the Titans the 36-35 lead and ultimately the victory.
Another stellar performance from Titan J.P. Shohfi.
“People that know me would never have doubted that I would go for two. My son couldn’t be here tonight but he would never have doubted that I would go for two,” Hobbie said. “Also there was a penalty so we were only one and half yards out. So at one and a half yards out if ever there was a time that was the time. I felt pretty good about going for the win.”
Glazier was knocked out of the game in the second quarter when he was body slammed to the turf. There was no penalty on the play but Glazier never returned to the game.
Wicke took over at quarterback for the Titans and completed five of 11 for 76 yards. But San Marino wasn’t able to generate much offense and turned to sophomore Blake Cabot.
Down 21-14 the Titans had moved the ball down to the Sierra Canyon one-yard line but were stopped on fourth down when J.P. Shohfi was stopped on a sweep. The Trailblazers took the seven point lead into the half.
Sierra Canyon came out in the third quarter and marched right down the field on its first possession. Niko Harris hit Sam Shadorf for a two-yard score and a 28-14 lead. After the Titans went three and out again, Sierra Canyon cashed in again, this time Bobby Cole went in from four yards out and with 4:46 left in the third quarter and the Blazers were breezing 35-14.
Cole had a huge night for Sierra Canyon rushing for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
Sierra Canyon could have extended the lead to 38-14 near the end of the third but Harris booted a 30-yard field goal wide right.
Entering the fourth San Marino was still staring at a 21 point deficit.
Then the Titans went to work. Enter Cabot who drove the team down to the 23. From there Michael Chan broke off a 23 yard touchdown run. The extra point was missed leaving San Marino down 35-20.
On the ensuing series Sierra Canyon botched the kick off return and then went three and out and had to punt setting up San Marino at the Blazer 44. On the first play from scrimmage, Cabot dropped back and threw a strike to Shohfi who hauled it in down the right sideline and raced into the end zone. Wicke ran in for two and with just over seven minutes left the Titans were within 35-28.
Sierra Canyon got one first down but again had to give up the ball. San Marino, behind the now confident Cabot, again began to move the chains. An 18-yard pass to Shohfi put the ball at the one-yard line. Wicke went in for six points and then again for two. The Titan faithful erupted with the first lead of the game.
Sierra Canyon, led by Harris, moved the ball on the final possession and it appeared a Harris to Cole pass had the ball inside the San Marino 20 with 14 seconds left. But a holding penalty brought it back and the Blazers were ultimately cooked.
Sierra Canyon scored first on an eight-yard pass from Harris to Kohl Hollinquest and also took a 14-7 lead on a 23 yard scoring strike from Harris to Dylan Tate. Cole’s first touchdown – a five-yard jaunt in the second – made it 21-14.
Glazier connected twice with Aiden Santino for scoring passes of 17 yards for the Titans two first half touchdowns. Glazier completed 8 of 12 for 147 yards and two touchdowns before being forced out with an injury.
Cabot, who looks to be the hear apparent at quarterback for 2016, was 6-10 or 112 yards and a touchdown.
“Blake did a phenomenal job. He did what was asked of him and that was to get the ball to J.P. And J.P. is a heckuva football player. He’s just unbelievable,” Hobbie said
Shohfi had a typical Shohfi night hauling in ten receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown. Santino caught four for 78 yards and two scores.
Harris was 13 of 18 for 133 yards and three scores for Sierra Canyon to go with Cole’s 220 on the ground but it wasn’t enough.
San Marino, now a perfect 15-0 on the season, advances to the State title game next Saturday at 4:00 p.m in Sacramento. Mid-Valley Champion Sierra Canyon finishes at 14-1.
“It’s kind of like a blur. You’ve seen us all year and we fight,” Hobbie said. “Sierra Canyon is a heckuva football team and they were just punishing us physically. That running back is a heckuva back. But our kids, they don’t give up.”
And now the Titans will fight for one more week.
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