Three touchdowns in the third quarter blew open the game as Nordhoff returned to the ssemi-finals of the CIF Southern Section’s Northwest Division Playoffs with a 51-28 victory over Whittier Christian Friday night at Ojai Valley Community Stadium.
The Rangers (11-1) last reached the semifinals in 2010, where they llst to Lompoc, 45-18. They had previously reached the semi-finals three yesrs in a row from 2003 to 2005, losing each one to Oaks Christian.
Although the Heralds’ (8-4) defense kept finding ways to stymie the Rangers, turnovers played a factor, especially the first one, a 42-yard fumble return by the Rangers’ Kevin Crane that put the Rangers up 7-0. The Rangers increased the lead on their next possession, as Tayler Livingston capped an 11-play drive with a two-yard run to put the Rangers up 14-0.
The Heralds cut the lead in half early in the second as they capped their own long drive with a six-yard score by David Fischer. But the Rangers responded with a 72-yard drive, capped off by a three-yard run from Shane Hersh, increasing the lead to 21-7. The Heralds answered back with an 82-yard drive, culminating in a seven-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Esslinger to Cody Bronkar. Despite the missed extra point, the Heralds were only down 21-13, only to have the Rangers close out the half with a 32-yard field goal by Cooper Garcia, putting the Rsngers up 24-13 at the half.
in the third quarter, the Rangers blew open the game, scoring three touchdowns in the frame to blow lpen the score to 44-13. Both Livingston and Hersh scored their second touchdowns, both 40-yard runs, while quarterback Tanner Workman blew the doors off the Heralds’ defense with an 84-yard strike to Jake Boyd, putting the Rangers up, 44-13.
The Heralds got back on the board with their first possession of the fourth quarter, with Esslinger hitting Sergio Ramirez for a five-yard score, closing the score to 44-21 after getting the two-point conversion. The Rangers responded after recovering the onside kick and scored on a 15-yard strike to Eric Lara from Workman, putting the Rangers up 51-21.
The Heralds had one final score late in the game, aas Esslinger hit Bronkar on a 24-yard scoring pass, ending the scoring, as the Rangers closed oout the win and advanced.
Esslinger went 32 of 42 in passing for 308 yard and his three touchdowns, Noah Evans led the receiviers with 114 yards on 11 catches while Bronkar caught six passes for 71 yards and two scores.
The Rangers will travel to Compton Centennial to take on the Apaches for a berth in the Northwest Division Finals on December 1. The Apaches knocked off Pioneer League rivvals El/ Segundo, 14-10, to advance to the semifinals.
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