Comeback by Ayala Breaks Hart, 22-19

The play is called “Y Out,” a simple pattern that sends the tight end over the middle. A simple pattern that sent Hart High straight out of the playoffs.

Ayala tight end Jeff Snyder ran the route to perfection, catching a five-yard touchdown pass from Mike Frost with 33 seconds left and giving his team a 22-19 victory in a second-round playoff game Friday night at College of the Canyons.

“Before the play we prayed,” Bulldog lineman Ed Anderson said. “Then we just executed.”

The touchdown came on fourth down. The Hart players were left stunned, many with tears in their eyes, after leading most of the way.

“We just couldn’t come through when we needed to,” said Hart’s Travis Carroll, who completed 15 of 23 passes for 156 yards, one touchdown and one interception. “We should have scored more but we just didn’t.”

The Indians (9-3) scored first on Carroll’s three-yard pass to Seth Schienle for a 6-0 lead.

After Toby Coe’s interception, Chris Wright’s four-yard run made it 12-0.

Ayala (10-2) got into the game with Matt Johnson, who ran 20 times for 82 yards, following the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Anderson into the heart of the defense. Frost threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Anthony Alvarado to close the gap to 12-7 at halftime.

Carroll’s one-yard score gave Hart a 19-7 lead in the third quarter, but Cody Joyce fumbled near midfield and the Bulldogs converted on Johnson’s one-yard touchdown to make it 19-14 late in the quarter.