PREP FOOTBALL SOUTHERN SECTION SEMIFINALS

DIVISION II

Santa Barbara 28, Canyon 27--Chris Wilson’s extra-point attempt sailed wide left by about a foot in overtime, giving Santa Barbara a victory before 8,000 fans at Santa Barbara High.

Wilson had been successful on 33 extra-point kicks this season.

With Canyon leading 21-14, the game appeared to be over when Santa Barbara quarterback Poncho Rentereria fumbled the snap on fourth and goal at the one.

But the officials ruled Canyon was offside, giving Santa Barbara another chance. Then, when the Dons failed to get off a play before time ran out, the officials ruled the clock should not have been started. So the Dons got one more chance, and Rentereria passed to Derek Elbert for the tying touchdown.

Under the California tie-breaking system, each team gets a chance to score from the 10 in the overtime.

Santa Barbara scored first, with Renteria, who finished with 16 completions in 20 attempts for 191 yards and three touchdowns, zipping a 14-yard completion to Simon Banks for a touchdown on second down.

Canyon scored on fourth down, with Tim Beidle passing 14 yards to tailback Chris Peery. But Wilson missed the PAT.

“It came down to the last play. That’s the way it should be with two good teams,” Santa Barbara Coach Lito Garcia said. “But we were fortunate.”

Canyon held a 21-14 lead with 3:51 to play after a 17-play, 80-yard drive that began in the final minute of the third quarter and chewed up 9:07 of the clock. Peery, who rushed for 92 yards in 19 carries, ran 23 yards for the touchdown.

Canyon (8-4-1) was attempting to win its fourth Southern Section title in the seven years.

Santa Barbara (12-1) will play Pasadena Muir, a 9-3 overtime winner of Thousand Oaks Friday night, in the Division II title game next Saturday.