Central Conference : Saddleback Rallies to Win Over La Quinta, 34-28

The first 46 minutes 23 seconds of the CIF Central Conference championship game between Santa Ana Saddleback High School and La Quinta of Westminster Friday night were hard fought, with both teams scoring four touchdowns apiece.

The winning touchdown, however, was scored on something of a lark.

With 1:37 to play and the score tied, 28-28, Saddleback’s Antwon Lark returned a partially blocked punt 27 yards for a touchdown, giving the Roadrunners a 34-28 victory and the conference championship.

With 6,000 fans at Orange Coast College, the Roadrunners rallied from a 21-7 halftime deficit, tied the game midway through the fourth quarter, and then won it after Hector Santa Cruz tipped a Derek Debbs punt that Lark caught in midair and returned for the score.

La Quinta turned around and blocked Todd Maxwell’s extra point attempt, leaving the Aztecs only six points behind.

Debbs, also La Quinta’s quarterback, then drove his team from the Aztecs’ 35-yard line to Saddleback’s 38-yard line, where the drive stalled with 20 seconds to play, giving the Roadrunners the win.

La Quinta started the game out strong, taking a 7-0 lead on a one-yard run by halfback Kevin Rice before Saddleback answered that with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Myron Butler to flanker Steve Ontiveros.

The Aztecs increased their lead to 21-7 behind a two-yard run by Debbs and a three-yard run by tailback Bart Recketenwald. The second touchdown was set up by a fumble recovery at the Roadrunners’ 20-yard line by defensive back Dave Harriger.

Saddleback scored first in the second half on a 16-yard pass from Butler to flanker Billy Thurmond, making it 21-14, but La Quinta responded with a touchdown of its own, apparently taking control of the game at 28-14 late in the third quarter.

Saddleback scored twice early in the fourth quarter to tie the game, and both teams appeared to be playing for a tie and a co-championship before the blocked punt and subsequent game-winning touchdown.