DIVISION V FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : Loara Making the Most of Its Postseason Invitation

First the Loara Saxons weren’t invited to the Southern Section playoffs. Then they were.

Now they are in the second round of the Division V playoffs after upsetting Canyon, 10-9, Saturday night at Western High School.

Sophomore quarterback Archie Lappin, who had never taken a varsity snap, conducted the Saxons’ game-winning drive.

With the Saxons trailing, 9-6, with 2 minutes 30 seconds remaining, Lappin began his fourth drive of the night at the Saxons’ 17. He completed six of seven passes, including a 40-yard strike to Shane Thompson that put the ball at the Comanches’ 21.

Lappin connected with Dalbert Rodriguez on an 18-yard pass that moved the ball to the seven.

After three plays left the Saxons (6-5) at the two, Rob Crabtree kicked an 18-yard field goal that cleared the crossbar by less that two feet, giving the Saxons a 10-9 lead.

“(Lappin) came through in the clutch,” Loara Coach John de Fries said. “He hit some big, big passes. We made the decision to go with him at the end of the third quarter because we needed someone to give us a spark.”

Starting quarterback junior Jim Kirkland didn’t complete a pass in two attempts, and was sacked five times.

The Saxons trailed, 6-0, in the first quarter when Canyon quarterback Adam Hoover scored on a five-yard run. The extra-point kick went wide right, leaving the Comanches ahead, 6-0.

But Loara, which plays El Toro this week, answered early in the second quarter on a one-yard run by Kerry Peoples, giving the Saxons a 7-6 lead at halftime.

Canyon (7-4) jumped ahead with 6:06 left to play on Clay Kilbarger’s 26-yard field goal.