3-A Division : Sweetwater Beats Fallbrook for Its 36th Straight

As Fallbrook Coach Tom Pack came off the field following his team’s 20-17 San Diego Section 3-A playoff loss to Sweetwater Saturday night, he told Red Devil running back Terry Rodgers, “I’ll see you on TV.”

He was probably referring to the time in the near future when the senior back will be playing in college and possibly following in his father’s footsteps--running in the professional ranks. His father is former University of Nebraska and San Diego Charger Johnny Rodgers.

The sight of the younger Rodgers scoring on a one-yard run off right-tackle midway through the fourth quarter will be indelibly etched in the minds of Sweetwater fans and disappointed, but very proud, Warrior players.

Quarterback Steve Contreras’ 39-yard run up the middle to the 1-yard line will also be talked about for a long time.

By virtue of those runs and three late interceptions by Sweetwater defensive backs Dominic Nauta, Phillip Napoleon and Contreras, the streak continues.

Rodgers gained 171 yards on 23 carries, threw a 45-yard option pass, scored all 20 points, played safety and never came off the field during the entire game to lead the top-ranked Red Devils to their 36th consecutive victory.

Sweetwater (11-0) will face Helix in a 3-A semifinal playoff game Friday night.

“I think Terry is the best all-round back in the county,” Sweetwater Coach Gene Alim said. “He does everything.”

Most of all, Rodgers kept his composure after fumbling in the Fallbrook end zone just minutes before scoring the game-winning touchdown.

With Fallbrook leading, 17-12, a hush fell over the crowd when Rodgers coughed up the ball at 10:11 of the final quarter. One official waved touchdown and the other ruled that Rodgers fumbled before getting into the end zone.

“I jumped up and thought I was over the goal line,” Rodgers said.

Alim also thought Rodgers was over, but even after the ball was recovered by Kenny McAndrewse, Alim said he remained confident.

“I looked at the clock and knew we’d get the ball back and be able to drive again,” Alim said.

He was right. But for a good part of the game, it appeared that Rodgers’ efforts might not be enough against a talented, well coached and tricky Fallbrook team.

Led by quarterback Scott Barrick (20 of 39 for 175 yards and 1 touchdown), who returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sore shoulder, the Fallbrook offense moved the ball quite successfully against the top defense in the county. A defense that had allowed only 3.8 points a game and hadn’t been scored upon in five home games before Saturday.

Fallbrook took a 17-12 lead with 4:42 to play in the third quarter on one of a number of trick plays. With Barrick lined up in the shotgun formation, running back Ty Barksdale received the snap from center and raced 12 yards up the middle for the score.

That erased a 12-10 Sweetwater halftime lead. The Red Devils scored on 23- and 43-yard touchdown runs by Rodgers.