Eagles 18 - La Costa Canyon 14
La Costa Canyon stunned by last-minute loss to Santa Margarita
CARLSBAD, CA., September 26, 2008 –
Last night's game between La Costa Canyon and Santa Margarita was all about the finish. The Eagles from Orange County did, and the Mavericks of LCC did not.
Santa Margarita sophomore Logan Sweet caught a 23-yard pass from Ryan World with 16 seconds remaining, giving the Eagles an 18-14 victory.
"We turned over the ball too many times," LCC coach Darrin Brown said. "We had our chances. We just didn't get it done."
The Eagles (2-2) took over at their own 16 with 1:33 remaining and marched to the Mavericks' 46 in just four plays and 20 seconds. But a pair of incompletions from World had Santa Margarita facing third down with 59 seconds remaining.
LCC could almost taste victory. But the Mavericks (2-2) were called for roughing World on a third-down incompletion, moving the ball to the La Costa 31. Another penalty put the ball at the Mavericks' 26. A run play gained only 3 yards and left the clock ticking.
It appeared the Eagles would try to ground the ball to set up a field-goal try, but then came the winning play.
"Any time you go on the road, especially in San Diego (County) with the tradition LCC has had, this is a big win for our program," Santa Margarita coach Mike Jacot said.
When Brown said his team had chances to win, he wasn't kidding. One long LCC drive ended with an interception in the end zone. Another ended in Santa Margarita territory on a fumble. The Mavericks dropped a couple of would-be interceptions, including one on the Eagles' final drive. Add in the two penalties, and it was a tough loss to swallow.
"I hate losing; I know this whole team hates losing," said LCC quarterback Sebastian Frausto, who was 11-of-17 for 188 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. "Losing is not a part of us, especially two weeks in a row."
The Mavericks were coming off another loss to an Orange County school, Mission Viejo. This one was much closer and appeared to be an LCC victory when Frausto hit junior Kenny Stills with a 76-yard TD pass with 2:36 left in the third quarter.
The LCC defense, which gave up nine points in the first quarter, had stiffened, thanks to five sacks and an interception by Michael Mildbrandt. LCC gave up yards grudgingly and limited World (20-of-37 for 304 yards) in the second half until the final drive.
"It's kind of hard to explain," said Stills, who also caught a 20-yard TD pass from Frausto, LCC's only scoring in the first half, after which LCC trailed 12-7. "I'm just speechless."
World completed 21 of 39 to finish with 303 yards and one touchdown and an interception.
| Santa Margarita | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| La Costa Canyon | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
SM – Maniaci 30 FG
SM – Tyson 8 run (Maniaci kick failed)
LCC – Stills 20 pass from Frausto (Zalud kick)
SM – Maniaci 23 FG
LCC – Stills 76 pass from Frausto (Zalud kick)
SM – Sweet 23 pass from World (Tyson run failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Tyson 4–26, Cruz 4–23, White 9–60; LCC - Williams 2–0, Frausto 14–61, Manor 16–84, Hanson 5–42, Crouse 2–4, Nelson 1–3, Stills 1–3
Passing: SM - World 21–39–1–303; LCC - Frausto 12–19–2–194
Receiving: SM - Sweet 1–23, Willet 8–128, Escobar 6–77, Donegan 1–23, Cruz 2–44, White 2–11; LCC - Williams 5–35, Stills 6–158, Hapgood 1–1
By Boyce Garrison
Saturday, September 27, 2008
San Diego Union-Tribune
