Tigers’ comeback falls short
Four yards was all that the Tokay High football team needed for a first down and a path toward its first win on renovated Hubbard Field.
But the visiting McNair squad stopped the Tigers from those yards and win. That led to Eagles posting a 32-26 overtime win on Tokay’s homecoming night on Friday.
The game was tied at 26-26 after four quarters. McNair won the coin toss, and elected to start on the north end of Hubbard Field. The visiting Eagles used a four-play drive culiminating in a 14yard Titus Lathan screen pass to Devon Lewis, who fought off four Tokay defenders en route to the end zone. Fabian Gutierrez booted the extrapoint for the 32-26 advantage.
Then Tokay (1-4) had its turn with the football from the 25 on the north end of field. The only highlight for Tokay on this drive was when quarterback Ty Didonato, starting in place of injured Jacob Varney (back), hit Colby Baker on a 7-yard strike that moved the ball to the McNair 19, making it fourth down and four.
“He played well on top of that,” said Tokay coach Michael Holst of Didonato.
But no gain on the next play on a running play gave McNair the win.
McNair (2-3) tied the game with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter when Joseph Tucker, who rotated at quarterback with Lathan, hit Jeremiah Vea on a 9-yard score. Tokay still led 26-24 until Tucker, on a broken play, ran into the end zone for the 2-pointer and tied the game.
Tokay took a 26-18 lead with 4:36 left in the quarter. That is when running back Joseph Filippini scored on a 16-yard off-tackle play. Marcos Cahue booted the Tigers’ extra-point.
“We were not able to run time off the clock,” Holst said. “We thought we had it won.”
The Tigers’ touchdown was set-up by their defense on a turnover. McNair had the ball and marched down the field to the Tokay 12. But an incomplete pass on fourth down led to the Tigers gaining possession.
Four minutes and 42 seconds left into the third quarter, Tokay took a 19-18 lead when Didonato found Baker, who ran a post pattern, on a 44-yard strike. Baker broke free from a McNair defense back and raced to the middle of the field and ran the final 20 yards untouched for the touchdown.
The Tigers’ defense had another turnover. This one in the form of an interception when linebacker Cameron Taylor picked off a Tucker pass at the Tokay 26. But three plays that led to a combined two yards led to Tokay punting the ball.
Within 15 seconds earlier in the third quarter, Tokay and McNair scored touchdowns but the Eagles holding an 18-13 advantage. The Eagles took an 187 lead when Tucker hit Lewis, this time on a 48-yard pass.
Then on the kickoff return, Filippini returned the football 80 yards, following a wall of Tokay defenders before breaking out of the pack and racing down the McNair sidelines to make it 18-13.
McNair led 12-7 at halftime. The Eagles scored two touchdowns in the second quarter.
Tokay led 7-0 after the first quarter when Filippini scored on a 4-yard run with 5:14 on the clock. Ruben Gomez booted the extra-point.