Ayala won’t be denied

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The magic continues for Ayala.

The Bulldogs scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes to knock off visiting Chino Hills, 19-10.
Hollywood couldn’t produce a football movie with a better plot line than this.

Ayala was 0-10 a year, the laughing stock of the Sierra League.

‘You find out who your friends are after a season like that,’ said Ayala Coach Tom Inglima.

A pep talk from Orange Lutheran Coach Jim Kunau resurrected the Ayala coaching staff and Inglima’s dormant spirituality, and the Bulldogs put in the offseason work to get themselves in shape for this season.

Ayala won its season opener, then its league opener, then stormed back from 20 points down in the fourth quarter in its most recent game against Damien to win, 34-33.

On Monday night, in a game delayed two days because of poor air quality caused by the wildfires, the Bulldogs had produced just two first downs and had crossed midfield just once (on their touchdown), but then strung together a 70-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter that was capped by Matt Baca’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Arthur Forrest. The Bulldogs missed their second point-after attempt of the game, leaving them with a 12-10 lead.

Ayala forced a turnover on the Huskies’ ensuing drive, then Devin Jackson blocked a 42-yard field-goal attempt with 44 seconds remaining and Derek Brandon returned it 65 yards for a touchdown.

What a game.

-Dan Arritt