San Fernando Edges Jefferson, 14-13

Time had expired at Jefferson High on Friday but the nonleague football game between San Fernando and the Democrats had yet to be decided.

With the clock reading 0:00, Jefferson quarterback Marcus Johnson attempted a two-point conversion pass to Darrell Cooley, but the ball dropped untouched in the end zone and San Fernando escaped with a 14-13 win.

After San Fernando (2-0) stopped consecutive running plays, Jefferson scored on fourth and goal from the Tiger three-yard line. Johnson shoveled the ball to running back Tony Thomas, who swept to the right and lobbed a pass to Nelson Hernandez in the back of the end zone as time expired to pull the Democrats to within one point.

Jefferson’s drive was set up when an errant San Fernando punt snap bounced to the Tiger three where Johnson pounced on it with 1 minute 14 seconds to play.

“I would have bet my life that something was going to happen on that play,” San Fernando Coach Tom Hernandez said. “We’re lucky to get out of here.”

Five of the Tigers’ previous eight possessions ended in a turnover or some other miscue.

Jefferson (0-2) turned another poor Tiger punt snap into seven points late in the third quarter. The Democrats recovered a high snap at the San Fernando 29 and, two plays later, scored when Thomas broke three tackles up the middle on a 23-yard run.

San Fernando took a 14-0 lead in the first half and had a 19-yard touchdown pass from Leon Blunt to James Woods negated by a holding penalty four seconds before intermission.

Blunt’s three-yard scoring run in the first quarter put the Tigers ahead, 7-0. San Fernando chewed up 5:50 during a 13-play drive that culminated in Brian Brison’s two-yard scoring run with 6:35 left in the half.

Although they were without running back LaKarlos Townsend, benched for missing practice, the Tigers rolled up 203 yards rushing to Jefferson’s 70. San Fernando’s Amon Flanagan led all rushers with 63 yards in eight carries.

Woods halted a potential Jefferson scoring drive early in the fourth quarter when he intercepted Johnson’s pass to Cooley at the 21.

San Fernando committed turnovers on three of its first four possessions in the second half.