By Tim Peterson
(Downey) – Downey quarterback Oscar Rios scored on a 7-yard run with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter to give the Vikings an 11-point lead that turned out to be enough to hold off Mayfair 49-44 Friday night at Allen Layne Stadium. With the victory Downey claimed the Gateway League title.
In game that featured 93 points there were actually only three lead changes but also five ties as the two teams exchanged touchdowns. Downey led early, but Mayfair took the lead before the first quarter ended. The Monsoons maintained the advantage until late in the third quarter when the Vikes took it for good.
After Jonathan Arreola booted a 33-yard field goal to give Mayfair a 38-35 lead with 3:12 left in the third quarter, Downey scored the next 14 points including Rios’ run to ice it with just under four minutes left.
First Xavier Rivas scored on a one-yard run with 23 seconds left in the third. Then the Vikes put together an 11-play, 54-yard drive capped by the run by Rios to make it 49-38.
However Mayfair didn’t go away. Of course the Monsoons didn’t go away. That was their MO all night. Chaz Gilbreath caught a 17-yard touchdown strike from Jeremiah Calvin to cut the lead to 49-44 with 1:00 left in the game. The two-point conversion on a pass attempt by Calvin was intercepted by Rivas and the Vikings survived.
In the early going for every left that Downey threw, Mayfair threw a right. For every body blow that the Monsoons delivered the Vikings landed an uppercut.
In the first quarter Bernardo Blanco scored on a one-yard run to open the scoring for Downey and Mayfair immediately responded with an 85-yard kickoff return by Max Micthell for a touchdown to tie it at seven.
Damani Porras was on the receiving end of a Rios 46-yard TD pass and it was 14-7 Downey. That didn’t last long as Louis Johnson crossed the goal line on a 9-yard jaunt for Mayfair to make it 14-14.
After stopping the Vikings on fourth down Mayfair took its first lead of the night on a 4-yard run by Jeromy Powell. But Rios, who did damage with his arm and legs all night, got loose on a 43-yard touchdown scamper with 11 seconds left in the quarter to tie it at 21. Everybody took a deep breath and then entered the second quarter.
It was more of the same in the second as Johnson hit paydirt on a 31-yard run for the Soons and Blanco scored from 7 yards out on the ground for the Vikings. They went into the half even at 28.
It was 35 all in the third quarter when Johnson scored his third TD of the evening – this time on a 50-yard run in which he left tacklers in his wake. The Vikings got even on a dart from Rios to Porras for 28 yards out with 8:11 left in the third.
Arreola then gave Mayfair its last lead on his boot before Downey finally assumed control for good and pulled away.
For Downey Rios threw for two scores and ran for two more. Through the air he had 113 yards completing 10 of 18 passes and an interception. Porras was his favorite target with four catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Blanco had 12 carries for 88 yards and two scores.
Johnson was the man on the ground for Mayfair running for 150 yards and three scores on 15 carries. Calvin was 20 of 23 for 172 yards and a touchdown. Gilbreath had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Downey captured the Gateway League title with a perfect 5-0 record and went 9-1 overall. The Monsoons went 7-3 and 4-1. Both teams will find out where they land in the CIF playoffs when the pairings are announced Sunday.
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