Paramount Pirates Get The Upset Over Downey Vikings

Cedric Hood leads the Pirates over the Vikings.

(Downey) The Paramount Pirates traveled into the hostile waters of Allen Layne Stadium in Downey Friday night. The game was tied after regulation and in the end, an extra point was the difference as the Pirates outlasted the Vikings 21-20 in both teams San Gabriel Valley League opener.

When the clock struck 0:00 Paramount and Downey were tied at 14. Downey on the coin toss and opened up on offense to start the overtime period. Three plays later Baraq Ross scored on a 13-yard run. George Becerra’s extra point sailed wide left but the Vikings were up 20-14.

The Pirate offense took the field for their shot in the overtime. Early on it didn’t look good for Paramount as the Viking defense stepped up and forced negative yardage on the first two plays. A few minutes later the Pirates were face a 4th and 12 at the Downey 27. With his team up against the wall, Pirate quarterback Cedric Hood took off and just managed to gain enough yardage for the first down. Four plays later Demoryea Polidor Jr. punched across the goal line from two yards away.

Baraq Ross was a bright spot on a tough night for Downey.

Needing only the extra point to gain victory, Jared Becerra came on and calmly booted through the extra point for the Pirate victory.

Early on points were at a premium as both teams struggled to find traction once getting into the opposing teams territory and it wasn’t until 7:02 left in the second period that either team found paydirt. Hood got loose on a scramble and raced 26 yards to the endzon. Becerra nailed the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

It wouldn’t be until 3:26 left in the third quarter that Downey put up a score. Ross raced across the goal line from four yards away capping a six play 64-yard drive.

The Vikings took the lead for the first time in the game with 9:28 remaining in the fourth. It was Ross again getting loose on a 27 yard run changing directions a couple times reminiscent of Barry Sanders with the Pirate defenders grasping at air.

With time running down in the final frame Paramount was tasked with driving 49-yards in the unfriendly confines on the campus of Downey High School. The Pirates navigated those 49 yards on five plays with Hood finding Darius Wallace open on a wheel route for 20-yards and the score. Becerra added the extra point to tie the score at 14. 

Downey did get the ball back with just under two minutes left on the clock but could not manage a scoring drive setting up the overtime period. 

Hood finished the game for Paramount

hitting on 15 of 31 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown and added another 92 yards and a score on the ground.

Ross was the workhorse for Downey carrying the ball 31 times for 193 yards and all three Viking touchdowns.

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