CJ Carrillo ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner for Rowland.
By Tim Peterson
(Rowland Heights) – CJ Carrillo crashed into the endzone with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift Rowland to a dramatic 22-21 win over Diamond Bar Friday night on the Raiders home field.
Aidan Opatkiewicz added the extra point to complete the two-touchdown rally. Diamond Bar was up 21-8 with 7:10 left in the contest when Dominic Tortorelli scored on a three-yard run to cap a 75-yard drive. Then the the roof caved in.
The Raiders took over on their own 36-yard line and promptly marched 64 yards on nine plays. Bryce Johnson hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jose Valadez to make it 21-15 with 3:36 left.
Everyone in the stadium knew what was coming next. But Rowland and the kicker Taylor Wright were still able to execute an onside kick. The Raiders fell on it at the Diamond Bar 44 and were in business again.
They needed just five plays to find the endzone as Carrillo landed in paydirt.
The Brahmas had one last chance but they ran out of time as the last pass fell incomplete and the Raiders, who remained perfect at 5-0, began the celebration.
It was different story in the first half. Diamond Bar scored first as Richard Perry caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Manning for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
In the second quarter a bad snap by Rowland over the punter’s head and out of the endzone caused a safety for Diamond Bar to make it 9-0.
Three minutes later Perry scored on a seven-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 15-0. The extra point attempt was blocked.
The Raiders struggled in the first half. They fumbled on each of their first two possessions and went into the break at halftime down by 15.
They finally got on the board at the end of the third quarter. As time ran out in the quarter Carrillo scored on a two-yard run. The touchdown was set up by an interception by Opatkiewicz who returned it all the way to the Diamond Bar three-yard line.
The score remained the same until the Brahmas went up 21-8 on Tortorelli’s run with just over seven minutes left. It was all Rowland from that moment.
For Diamond Bar Tortorelli rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to lead the attack. Perry had two catches for 51 yards and a score and the rushing touchdown.
Carrillo was the go-to-guy for Rowland with 109 yards and two scores on 14 carries including the game-winner. “CJ is how he is. It wasn’t a hard decision down at the end,” said Rowland head coach Citos Marinez.
As the Raiders magic continued as they won their fifth straight game, Diamond Bar is at the opposite end of the spectrum falling to 0-5.
DB 07 08 00 06 21
RO 00 00 08 14 22
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