Unsuited for Victory, St. Francis and Harvard Settle for the Tie

They can’t say they didn’t have their chances.

Harvard-Westlake and St. Francis highs each turned the ball over in the waning minutes of their game Saturday and had to settle for an 18-18 tie.

Harvard kicker Greg Nortman connected on a 27-yard field goal with 3 minutes 22 seconds left to tie it. But each team had one last chance to pull out a victory.

Two plays after the field goal, St. Francis quarterback Brian Rucker hooked up with Jason Vandercook on a screen pass.

The ball was stripped from Vandercook after he gained 18 yards, and Harvard’s Phil Saferstein recovered the fumble at the St. Francis 38 with just under two minutes remaining.

Two plays later, John Torosian intercepted Derek Lemkin’s pass to give St. Francis one more chance.

But the Golden Knights’ drive stalled at their 41 when Rucker’s desperation pass was intercepted by Kadar Lewis as time expired. Rucker completed 14 of 21 for 168 yards.

Both defenses recovered from a first half dominated by big plays and sustained offensive drives.

St. Francis took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 18 plays, culminating in a one-yard run by tailback Brian Maxwell. Maxwell gained 61 yards in the Golden Knights’ drive and finished with 66 yards in 22 carries.

St. Francis missed the two-point conversion.

Early in the second quarter, Lemkin scored on a three-yard run and Nortman’s extra point gave the Wolverines a 7-6 lead.

Vandercook took the ensuing kickoff and raced 90 yards for a touchdown. Again, the two-point conversion failed, leaving St. Francis with a precarious 12-7 lead.

One minute later, Harvard took a 13-12 lead on a 23-yard pass from Lemkin (seven of 14, 107 yards) to Kevin Goldfein. The Wolverines failed on a two-point conversion.

Early in the third quarter, Vandercook, who led all receivers with six receptions for 109 yards, scored on a 53-yard screen pass. But for the third consecutive time, the Golden Knights failed to convert a two-point conversion.

Harvard cut the lead to 18-15 midway through the final period when the ball was snapped over the head of the St. Francis punter and into the end zone for a safety.

Abed Abusaleh led the Wolverines with 79 yards in 17 carries.