Buena Park Ties Troy, Earns League Title

By the slightest of margins--a tipped pass and a half-game, Buena Park won the Freeway League championship Friday at home.

The Coyotes entered the game with Troy needing a victory or a tie to clinch their first league title since 1965 and got the tie, 21-21, in front of about 2,500.

Buena Park (8-1-1, 4-0-1 in league) rallied from deficits of 14-0 and 21-14 to deadlock Troy.

Sunny Hills finished second in the standings at 4-1 while Troy (3-5-2, 3-1-1) was third. All three advance to the Southern Section playoffs next week.

“I’m just really proud of the kids,” Buena Park Coach Marty Luczaj said. “They came back big twice. We will celebrate tonight.”

The tying score came on third and goal from the Troy six with 50 seconds left.

Quarterback Geno Robles threw a pass into the middle of the end zone, but it bounced off two Troy defenders as they crossed.

The ball floated down into the hands of Buena Park tight end Bryan Baylor.

“I thought the guy in front caught it,” Baylor said of the Troy defender. “Then it was just like super slow-motion and I caught it.”

Senior Frank Aguilar, who had missed an extra-point try earlier, was perfect this time.

Troy got the ball and drove to the Buena Park 42, but Angel Barrios intercepted a pass with eight seconds left to ensure the tie and title.

Buena Park had gone 80 yards in 16 plays for the tying score after Troy’s James Hartford missed a 22-yard field-goal attempt with 7:24 left in the game.

Junior Hector Rubio rushed six times for 42 yards in the drive and Rubio had a 23-yard completion in another key play.

Buena Park had been at the Troy 11 late in the third quarter, but Robles rolled out and forced a pass into the flat where Troy’s Bryan Burchit intercepted and ran 46 yards before Robles made the touchdown-saving tackle.

Troy proved unstoppable on its first two possessions in taking a 14-0 lead. Hartford scored on runs of 25 and three yards and kicked both extra points.

“We came out either protective or flat,” Luczaj said.

Buena Park’s first touchdown was set up when defensive back Alan Buckley recovered a fumble at the Troy 17. Two plays later, Barrios broke three tackles and scored on a 12-yard run midway in the second quarter. The extra point try was blocked.

Buena Park’s Robles fumbled a handoff on the goal line, but lineman Gavin Molinar recovered in the end zone for the touchdown. George McDonald ran for the two-point conversion for a 14-14 tie with 38 seconds left in the half.

Troy took the lead late in the third quarter on a 28-yard pass from quarterback Brent Lacher to Derek Gomez.