PATRIOTS FALL ON CRAZY FINAL PLAY
Pioneer has kick blocked, returned for score
In what can only be summed up as one of the craziest endings to a football game in a long time, the Pioneer High School varsity football team lost their homecoming game in heartbreaking fashion to the visiting Dixon Rams 13-7.
Even if you were in attendance or on the field, the ending probably still won’t make a lick of sense as the Patriots were in control and in possession of the football with under 24 seconds left about to either attempt a game-winning field goal or, at worst, go into overtime.
Well, the “at worst” would have been a welcome outcome because a blocked field goal attempt, recovery, and long scamper to the Dixon endzone as time expired is what ended up happening, costing the Patriots the game.
“The way I see it, Dixon just outplayed us on critical downs,” Patriots head coach Matt Bryson said. “It was a defensive back and forth game, but on both sides of the ball, they just came up big in big situations. We have to give them credit.”
The first half of the game appeared to go in fast forward as both teams ran the ball well and supplemented their offensive attack with an efficient passing game.
During the game’s first drive, the Rams took nearly seven minutes off the clock by accumulating first downs either on the ground or through the air. They looked primed to score, but once they crossed the Patriots’ 30-yard line, a bit of misfortune stick as the Rams pass was tipped sky high and eventually landed in the waiting arms of Patriot for the interception.
After a sustained drive of their own, the Patriots repaid the favor with an interception of their own but managed to
pin Dixon at their own twoyard line.
Pioneer hoped to either force a safety or a punt deep in their own half, but on third down, the Rams would convert a huge 24yard catch and run to give them some breathing room.
After trading several punts back and forth, the Patriots would score first via a Jack Carner 15yard touchdown run, giving them a 7-0 lead. They would carry that lead into the halftime break.
Carner finished the game with 24 carries for 143 yards and the score.
After a scoreless third quarter, Dixon tied the game late in the fourth quarter on a two-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots did manage to get a finger on the point after attempt, but the ball just managed to sail through the upright, knotting the game at seven all.
With just over two minutes left in the game, the Patiots had possession of the ball and mounted one last drive.
A huge Carner run and critical 11-yard completion from quarterback Ajay Lucero set up a huge catch and run from wide receiver Hector Casas that gave Pioneer possession of the ball on the 10-yard line with 36 seconds left.
After Dixon stuffed the Patriots run up the middle on first down, the ball was now on the 12-yard line with 24 seconds left. The Patriots called a timeout.
Instead of another run or even an early field goal attempt, the Patriots opted to go for the win and called a passing play. Unfortunately, that gamble would not pay off as Lucero was taken down for a sack and loss of critical yards. With no timeouts, they would have to burn third down to spike the ball and stop the clock.
With five seconds remaining, the field goal unit came out onto the field with a chance to win the game via what was now around a 38-yard attempt.
With tensions rising, a high snap would cause a slight delay in the kicker taking his run-up before the kick. The delay was all that Dixon needed to block the field goal attempt. In a moment of confusion, the Dixon defender picked up the ball, walked a few yards, then began sprinting towards the endzone.
As time expired, the Dixon player outran everyone and stumbled into the endzone for the shocking 13-7 victory.
“Everything we want is still in front of us,” Bryson said. “It’s a tough way to lose but the things we want to achieve are still within grasp.”
The Patriots will need to get over this loss quickly as they now go on the road to take on Casa Roble next Friday night. Casa Roble is first in the Golden Empire League after defeating Woodland in overtime 35-29.
Woodland High School
Across town, at the same time, another game came down to its last moments.
After a great regulation game that saw Woodland take a 29-15 lead into the fourth quarter, GEL favorites and perennial winners Casa Roble tied the game and forced it into overtime.
In the overtime period, both teams would get the ball at the 25-yard line and alternate possessions until one team either scored or stoped the other team from scoring.
After Woodland failed to score on their first possession, Casa Roble took the field, only needing a field goal to win the game. The Wolves defense needed to force a stop or turnover.
They got close as Casa Roble needed a fourthdown play to not only convert for a first down but continue running the extra yards and score the gamewinning touchdown.
In the span of 30 minutes, both Woodland and Pioneer High School experienced a hard heartbreak at the end of their respective games.
“I’m proud,” Wolves head coach Javier Marin said. “For us to compete against a team that has a legacy of winning league championships and going far into the playoffs we will take this. it will make us better. IF we want to succeed in the postseason and get into the playoffs we have to experience this type of grind.
The Wolves will also need to get over this loss as soon as possible as they get set to celebrate senior night against Mira Loma next Friday night.