‘Hail Mary’ Heartbreaker Finishes Saugus

Saugus’ season ended cruelly: The Centurions were on the wrong end of a “Hail Mary” pass--and a 38-33 score--in their Southern Section Division II playoff game against Dominguez last week.

The play is an 11th-hour reprieve for the winner; for the loser--sheer anguish.

“They couldn’t complete that pass again in 100 attempts,” Saugus Coach Jack Bowman said. “Anyone who says different is lying. We were in the normal, deep prevent defense, and there were guys around the ball, but it was a great throw and catch. We did everything right, it was just an incredibly lucky play.”

Trailing, 32-25, Saugus scored on a one-yard run by Chris Johnson with 40 seconds left. Bobby Cowan completed a two-point conversion pass to Bobby Rodriguez to give Saugus a 33-32 lead.

Then the sky fell.

Dominguez returned the kickoff to the Centurions’ 40-yard line. After three incomplete passes, Dominguez quarterback Sean Williams connected with receiver Scott Coleman in the left corner of the end zone with four seconds to play. The pass was caught above the outstretched arms of several defenders.

Defensive back Jibri Hodge thought he had broken up the play.

“I felt like I got a hand on the ball, but then I saw two hands above me bringing the ball down,” said Hodge, a senior. “I just couldn’t believe our season ended on a fluke play like that.

“It’s not easy having your high school career end like that.”

INJURY SAGA

The situation has gone from bad to worse for Sylmar wide receiver John Gaitanis, who is doubtful for tonight’s City Section quarterfinal game against Crenshaw. Gaitanis twisted a knee early in the first quarter against Venice last week. Later in the game he pulled a thigh muscle in the other leg while trying to compensate for the injured knee.

After the game, Gaitanis, the Spartans’ leading receiver with 15 catches, iced his injured thigh muscle to reduce swelling. He iced, iced, and then iced some more.

“Now he’s got frostbite,” Coach Jeff Engilman said. “Can you believe that? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

FOOTING THE BILL

The new high-tops the Simi Valley basketball team will be wearing are courtesy of Don MacLean, the all-time leading scorer at Simi Valley and UCLA.

MacLean, now with the Washington Bullets, made the donation after signing his NBA contract.

SURF’S UP

Most people prefer to have Thanksgiving off. Not football coaches, though. Chaminade Coach Rich Lawson is used to having practice Thanksgiving morning. Before this season, his teams had advanced past the first round of the playoffs in four of five campaigns. After Friday’s 36-29 loss to Corona del Mar, however, the Eagles and Lawson will have to find something else to occupy their time.

“I always like to practice on Thanksgiving morning,” Lawson said. “I run around and get hungry, then go home and watch a little pro football.

“I guess I’ll go surfing instead.”

FOREIGN FLAVOR

There are many reasons Royal compiled a 27-2 record and advanced to the Southern Section Division II water polo playoffs. The play of exchange students Morten Wang of Norway and Karsten Stokking of Denmark is one of them. Wang, a member of the Norwegian junior national team, has been a stalwart on defense and also has scored 57 goals, third on the team behind Jack Kocur and Luke Frazier. Stokking has played well in a reserve role.

“Morten had to adjust to the style of refereeing over here and he has done that,” Royal Coach Steve Snyder said. “We have also been stronger off the bench and Karsten is a big reason.”

FAMILY AFFAIR

Winning Southern Section volleyball titles is beginning to seem like a birthright for members of the Sawyer and Sandefur clans.

When Nordhoff won consecutive titles from 1984-86, Cristy Sawyer was the team’s setter. And when Nordhoff added another championship Saturday, defeating Atascadero, 15-9, 15-8, 15-4, at Cerritos College, four other members of those families were in the lineup. Cousins Sami Sawyer and Julie Sandefur split the setting duties, and Jami Sawyer, Sami’s sister, played a fine all-around game. Julie’s sister, Joanna, turned in steady play as a passer, server and defensive ace.

David Coulson and staff writers Jeff Fletcher, Vince Kowalick, Paige A. Leech, and Jason H. Reid contributed to this notebook.