MidValleySports.Com

San Dimas’ Brady Arriaga kicked a 22-yard field goal with two seconds left for the game-winner.

By Tim Peterson

Brady Arriaga kicked a 22-yard field goal with two seconds left to lift San Dimas to an improbable 24-22 win over Rowland Friday night in the first round of the CIF Division 9 playoffs on the Raiders home field.

Improbable because the Saints looked like they were cooked, done, almost out on their feet. Rowland, coming into the game 10-0, built a 22-0 lead at halftime. One more score would surely be a knockout punch. But that score from the Raiders never came.

The Saints got the ball with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter and drove the ball down to the six-yard line behind a strong running attack. At the six they called time out with six seconds left and Arriaga lined it up. With two seconds left the ball sailed through the uprights and the San Dimas celebration began.

“I’m confident Arriaga is making a kick anything inside the 15,” said San Dimas head coach Mark Holman.

The rally started when on San Dimas’ second possession of the third quarter Jacob Gallegos broke off a 59-yard run to get the Saints on the board and make it 22-7 with 4;44 left in the quarter.

On the next possession the San Dimas forced a Rowland fumble and the Saints were in business again at the Raider 30. Six plays later the Saints were in the endzone as Gallegos bulled his way in from three yards out and it was 22-14 early in the fourth quarter.

After forcing a Rowland punt San Dimas marched 56 yards on seven plays to get within one. A 42-yard pass from Brandon Meredith to Gallegos set up a three-yard run by Gallegos. It was his third score of the night and the Saints were down 22-21 with 5:46 left.

The Raiders had to punt and San Dimas took possession with just over three minutes left at the Rowland 40. The Saints then marched to victory.

Rowland took the lead on its first possession. The Raiders drove 59 yards on six plays. Bryce Johnson scored on a 24-yard run.

In the second quarter an interception by CJ Carrillo set up Rowland again. Carrillo scored on a three-yard run to cap 67-yard drive to make it 14-0 with 8: 41 left in the quarter.

Late in the quarter the Raiders used a big play to strike again. Aidan Opatkiewicz hauled in a 44-yard touchdown strike from Jose Valadez. Carrillo ran in the two-point conversion and it was 22-0 with 48 seconds left.

The Saints were down three scores heading into the break but still staged the big second half rally.

For Rowland Opatkiewicz had five catches for 85 yards and a score. Carrillo ran for 48 yards and a touchdown.

Gallegos had a huge night for San Dimas with 171 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. He also had an interception and a reception for 42 yards. Keenan Hoyt rushed for 63 yards on six carries.

“We just seemed a little discombobulated in the first half. We didn’t make any mistakes in the second half. We made tons of mistakes in the first half. We didn’t make any in the second half. We turned the ball over and penalties. Usually you don’t come back and win a game like that but we’re fortunate to do so,” Holman said.

Now the Saints advance to the second round.

For Rowland the season ends with an overall record of 10-1 and a league championship.

“We definitely have high expectations for ourselves. We’re still at that point of feeling like we failed but at some point we’ll be able to look back and realize what we accomplished,” said Rowland head coach Cito Marinez. “We look forward to working hard in the off season and finding a way to close that gap.”

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