Southern Section Roundup

Rio Mesa Misfires in Final Minute, 28-27

Renard Carn scored on a 72-yard run with 3:33 to play and Channel Islands High held off a late Rio Mesa charge to defeat the Spartans, 28-27, Friday night in a nonleague opener at Rio Mesa.

Quarterback Henry Wilson scored on a one-yard run with 32 seconds to play to pull Rio Mesa to within one, but his two-point conversion pass to Sal Balsano fell short.

Trailing, 21-6, Channel Islands scored three consecutive second-half touchdowns. Pharoh Milner scored on runs of 73 and two yards to pull the Raiders to within 21-20. Carn then burst loose to give Channel Islands the lead, 26-21. Chris Sawlsville caught a conversion pass from Mark Contreras to give the Raiders a seven-point lead.

Channel Islands followed Carn’s score with an onside kick and Rio Mesa recovered on the Raider 49-yard line. Two plays later, Jamie Liddell received a reverse handoff and threw 37 yards to Charles Thompson, who took the ball to the three. Wilson scored two plays later.

Carn gained 188 yards in 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Milner rushed for 101 yards and two scores in seven carries.

Rio Mesa’s Gordy Abellera rushed for 99 yards in 12 carries before leg cramps forced him to leave the game with 4:19 remaining in the third quarter. Balsano rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns in nine carries.

Rio Mesa scored three touchdowns after falling behind, 6-0. Balsano scored on a nine-yard run to give the Spartans a 7-6 halftime lead, and he added an eight-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. Scott O’Neil scored from three yards later in the quarter to give Rio Mesa a 21-6 lead.