Sylmar Prevails in Overtime : City 4-A playoffs: Top-seeded Spartans fall behind by 21, but defeat Banning in a California Tiebreaker, 28-27.

It couldn’t have ended in a stranger fashion.

Sylmar High quarterback Gerrod Taylor’s keeper for no gain on Wednesday night gave his team a 28-27 victory over Banning by California Tiebreaker in a City Section Division 4-A quarterfinal playoff game before an overflow crowd.

Top-seeded Sylmar (12-0) overcame a 21-0 first-quarter deficit and tied it, 27-27, on Durell Price’s one-yard run with 3 minutes 18 seconds left in regulation. But Shaun Avalos’ extra-point attempt sailed wide left.

The teams traded possessions twice in the final three minutes, but neither could score.

In the California Tiebreaker, play starts at the 50 and teams trade possessions four times from the spot of the previous play. Whichever team has penetrated the other’s territory after the eight plays is the winner.

Both teams made progress until Sylmar’s Davon Young intercepted an Ira McKenna pass on Banning’s third play. The ball was brought back to the line of scrimmage at the Banning 40.

On Sylmar’s third play, Taylor ran 33 yards on a quarterback draw to the Banning seven.

Banning countered with a 42-yard pass play from McKenna to Eric Whitfield. With the ball at the Banning 49, all Sylmar had to do was maintain the line of scrimmage to win. And that’s where Taylor laid it all on the line.

“I told my line to block and I’ll do the rest,” said Taylor, who was congratulated by several Banning players and coaches after the game.

The victory moved Sylmar to the semifinals Dec. 2 against Carson.

Scoring was fast and furious for Banning in the first quarter. On the game’s opening possession, Sylmar stuffed two Banning runs near the line of scrimmage. But on third and eight, McKenna faked a handoff to Dupree Tave and raced 64 yards down the Banning sideline to the Sylmar eight before Young knocked him out of bounds.

Eric Lewis scored two plays later on a two-yard run.

Sylmar went backward on its opening possession, which ended when punter Jeff Facer mishandled a snap and tried to run.

The Pilots’ second and third possessions started inside the Sylmar 20 because of the fumbled punt attempt and an interception of a pass by Sylmar quarterback Greg Marquez. Banning capitalized on both for a 21-0 lead just 8 1/2 minutes into the game.

But just when Sylmar fans fell silent for the first time all year, Taylor lifted their spirits.

He received a kickoff at the 20, ran through a host of tacklers at midfield and scored on an 80-yard return. And the comeback was on.