San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
EAGLES EARN OPEN TITLE
Goal-line stand, fumble on last play help Granite Hills beat top-seeded Lincoln for championship
Granite Hills’ Jordan Glaze (7) and Jerzel Ramirez celebrate a fumble recovery by teammate Travis Ford (on ground) on final play.
Granite Hills High will play for back-to-back state championships after a stirring, last-second, goal-line stand held Lincoln out of the end zone, giving Granite Hills a 27-26 upset win over the top-seeded Hornets in the San Diego Section Open Division championship game Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.
“I knew we had it in us,” Granite Hills defensive tackle Moshi Tileia. “It was a matter of other people knowing.
Zander. Robert Petrich’s PAT would prove to be the difference.
Both teams failed to convert on fourth downs, with Granite Hills’ coming with 1:30 to play, giving Lincoln the ball at its own 40.
A 6-yard run by quarterback Akili Smith got the Hornets rolling. Smith had completions of 34 and 21 yards to CJ Williams, putting the ball at the Granite Hills’ 4 with 58 seconds to play.
After trading penalties, Lincoln’s Aden Jackson gained 6 yards to the Granite
Hills 1.
But back-to-back runs into the teeth of the Granite Hills defense netted nothing.
With time a factor and Lincoln out of timeouts, the Hornets spurned a chipshot field-goal attempt and went for the touchdown.
On fourth-and-goal at the 1, a low center snap eluded Smith, with Granite Hills’ senior defensive lineman Travis Ford securing the loose ball, setting off a wild celebration on the Granite Hills sideline.
“It’s a crazy experience,” said Granite Hills running back Pablo Jackson, who had a key pop-pass touchdown late in the third quarter to Parker Vance.
“I’ve worked for this my whole life. I knew if we got the opportunity, we had the ability to do it.”
Granite Hills (12-0) advances to the State Championships with parings announced next Sunday.
Lincoln (11-1), last year’s San Diego Section Open Division champion and State 1A champion, saw its winning streak snapped at 23.
“We didn’t get here being conservative,” said Granite Hills coach Kellan Cobbs. “We went after it aggressively. We’re not afraid to take chances.
“I believe in our guys. They believe in us. We hung in there and got the big play when it mattered most.”
Granite Hills rushed 38 times for 139 yards, with Jackson carrying 14 times for 50 yards and Max Turner 17 for 89.
The Eagles passed for 166 yards with 55 coming on the Jackson-to-zander pass.
Lincoln rushed 33 times for 233 yards. CJ Williams led the way with 17 carries for 84 yards. Aden Jackson had 11 carries for 75 and Donald Reed 12 for 75.
Smith completed 15 of 25 for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
Lincoln took an early 13-0 lead, scoring on a 34-yard pass from Smith to Mahki Gray late in the first quarter.
The Hornets then forced a Granite Hills punt, but Jamerion Herbert burst through and blocked the
Cynthia Ta’a comforts her son, Lincoln’s Niko Ta’a (16), and his best friend Micah Valenzulea after the Hornets’ loss against Granite Hills on Saturday night.
kick with Jerome Roberts recovering the ball in the end zone for a TD.
Granite Hills got back in the game, driving 68 yards on six plays with Turner finishing
the drive with a 2-yard TD run out of a Wildcat formation.
A good Lincoln punt pinned Granite Hills at its 14, but on the first play of the
drive, Benitez found a wideopen Zander, who went 86 yards for the score. The PAT tied the game at 13.