Jaguars rally for dramatic win over Moriarty in overtime
Referee shortage delayed game by one day; coronavirus concerns put start in jeopardy
For a game that was nearly wiped off the books because of a referee shortage and concerns over the coronavirus, it sure turned into a doozy.
Capital twice rallied to tie Saturday’s nondistrict football game with Moriarty, then got a gutty, dogged and determined effort in overtime to eke out a dramatic 35-34 win.
Julian Muñoz was the hero. The Jaguars’ quarterback rushed for three touchdowns and passed for two more. He capped his remarkable afternoon in overtime, hitting Brandon Solis with a 6-yard scoring pass after Moriarty had opened the extra session with a touchdown on its set of downs.
Capital coach Joaquin Garcia opted for the win instead of sending out the kicking unit for a point-after try. In his mind, there was only one option.
“We were here to win it, to win it right there,” he said. “We were putting the ball in [Muñoz’s] hands no matter what.”
With his team down 34-33, Muñoz took the snap and sprinted
to his right, heading for the pylon in the front corner of the end zone. He, the ball and a Moriarty linebacker converged on that spot at the exact same time.
“I saw [the hit] coming, but I knew I was going to get there,” Muñoz said.
He extended the ball just inside the pylon as he took a ferocious hit while moving at full speed. The impact sent him tumbling 15 feet out of bounds, the ball still tucked under his right arm.
“Yeah, I’m kind of feeling it,” he said, rubbing the front of his left shoulder. “But I got in. That’s the only thing that counts.”
After Saturday’s game, Jaguars assistant coach JoeRay Anaya dubbed the team the “Cardiac Cats,” as a nod to them playing from behind the entire game and erasing a 21-6 deficit late in the first half. They also needed a 62-yard drive that included conversions on third and fourth down to knot it for the final time at 27 with eight minutes left.
Both teams had chances in the waning moments. Moriarty got an all-world effort from quarterback Amare Gonzales on a drive that eventually stalled at the Jaguars’ 39 in the final minute. He had a pair of critical runs on third and long to keep the drive going.
Capital used the final 33 seconds of regulation to drive as far as Moriarty’s 36.
The fact the Jaguars were even allowed to play Saturday’s game is part of the story. The game was originally scheduled for Friday night but was moved to the unusual time of 10 a.m. Saturday due to a referee shortage. The same officiating crew that worked Friday night’s Santa Fe High-St. Michael’s game at Ivan Head Stadium was assigned to Saturday’s contest.
Then came word late Friday that Moriarty was facing a potential COVID-19 exposure to one of its players. The status of Saturday’s game remained in doubt even after the Pintos arrived on campus less than two hours before kickoff. It wasn’t until the teams were on the field for pregame warmups that the go-ahead was given.
Once the game kicked off, it was business as usual. Moriarty and its misdirection offense that’s basically a modern version of the wing-T scheme broke off one big play after another, getting seven rushing plays of at least 10 yards in the first half.
It wasn’t until Garcia adjusted the defense that the Pintos finally slowed down. That was thanks to the play from linebackers Francisco Diaz, Fabian Ryan and Angelo Baker, among others. Diaz was particularly disruptive, penetrating Moriarty’s line and making several stops in the backfield or at point of impact.
Diaz was a workhorse on offense, getting 17 carries for 98 yards. Muñoz called his own number 14 times for 119 yards on the ground. He also passed for 192 yards with the two scores. He was picked off twice and Capital had two costly turnovers deep in Moriarty territory that ended strong drives.
“Those mistakes, I put those on [Muñoz] at halftime because this is his offense,” Garcia said. “When you put your team in a position to get down there and score, the quarterback is the leader and you want him to take charge. We challenged him with that at halftime, and he really came through.”
Now 2-1 in Garcia’s first year, Capital will host unbeaten Santa Fe High this week.
NOTES
Muñoz was 12-for-21 through the air. … Capital’s Joseph Rodriguez had a 39-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the first half nullified by a penalty. He got into the end zone again a few minutes later when Muñoz hit him with a 26-yard scoring pass to get the Jaguars within 21-14 at halftime. … Moriarty attempted only two passes the entire game, connecting on both for 75 yards.