Troy’s Late Touchdown Strike Ruins Sonora Comeback

Brian Logan hit Nick Ruzzi with a 56-yard touchdown pass with 1:43 remaining as Troy defeated Sonora, 24-20, in a Freeway League game at La Habra High Friday night.

The pass ruined Sonora’s come-from-behind effort as the Raiders (4-3, 1-1 in league) fought back from an 11-point deficit.

Noel Ishikawa’s seven-yard touchdown run with 2:43 left--combined with a two-point conversion pass from Kevin Rodriguez to Cubby Kelly--gave Sonora a 20-17 lead, but Troy (4-2-1, 1-1) was able to make the big play to win.

On third and nine from the Troy 44, Logan rolled right and found Ruzzi two yards behind a Sonora defender at the 10. The pass was on the mark and Ruzzi walked into the end zone untouched.

“I just rolled right looking for our receiver running the out pattern,” Logan said. “He (Ruzzi) put his hand up and I put the ball right on the money. I had all the time in the world to throw the ball.”

Sonora still had time to score and advance the ball to midfield, but Rodriguez’s pass was incomplete on fourth down.

Eric Urban’s 30-yard field goal in the first quarter was the only scoring by either team in the first half, but Troy marched 85 yards in 15 plays to take a 10-0 lead when Larry Vasquez went over from two yards out.

Sonora responded with an 18-yard scoring pass from Rodriguez to Erik Julin, but Troy scored on its next drive--a 17-yard run by Matt Frobenius for a 17-6 lead.

Cubby Kelly scored on an eight-yard run early in the fourth for Sonora before Ishikawa’s touchdown gave the Raiders their short-lived lead.