LIONS: South’s last win was in 2008 game
The 2-point conversion was no good, but the South defense stopped the North to finish the game.
“For a big man to run that far,” South coach Mark Cooley said as he gave Worl the award much to the delight of the fellow linemen and teammates.
“It was really fun. I’ve never had the ball like that ever. I can’t believe I made it that far,” Worl said.
He did and so did the South, which was tested by the North throughout.
“This is a dream come true,” Worl said. “This makes me so happy.”
If not for Worl, the award would have gone to Navarro, the two-way standout for Pleasant Valley.
“He’s got a state championship,” said Cooley, who does as well.
He’s right, and Navarro was happy how the game ended with one more victory and one more play made by him and fellow Viking Syrus Tuitele.
With the South up 36-30, the North reached the South 12-yard line before a 5-yard scramble by Mount Shasta quarterback Thairen Sivongsa was negated by holding, pushing the ball all the way back to the 32 with the penalty coming 10 yards from the spot of the foul. Instead of fourth-and-1 from the 7, it was third-and-26.
On fourth-and-26 and with 35 seconds left in the game, Sivongsa dropped back but found Tuitele and Navarro among multiple defenders. They pulled him down, letting the South take a knee for the victory.
“That just tops it off. That’s icing on the cake. Me and Syrus our last play together? I couldn’t ask for anything better,” an exhausted Navarro said as he stayed on the field in the end zone as his teammates whooped and hollered in excitement despite coming at the end of a long, hot night.
Navarro’s night included deflecting the pass that found Worl. Navarro also had an interception of his own, this one at the South 4-yard line on a North trick play with 12 seconds left in the first half, spoiling another scoring chance.
As a tight end, he also had four catches for 97 yards.
Lindquist threw for 289 yards and three TDs. Paradise’s Riley Potthast had 91 yards on six catches, the last one going for 39 yards as he spun out of a tackle and reached the 7yard line of the North, setting up Dixson’s TD.
Colby Harris of Lassen had 123 yards rushing on 21 carries for the North.
The last time the North won was in 2008 and also was at Harrison Stadium as Paradise quarterback Jon Hays was named MVP in the 27-19 victory.