Trick Play In Overtime Stops Warriors

Ojai Nordhoff quarterback Jim Musick scored from 10 yards on a fake field goal try to defeat Brethren Christian, 32-26, in double overtime in a Southern Section Division X second-round playoff game Friday night at Lakewood Artesia High.

The score was tied, 19-19, at the end of regulation. In the first overtime period, Nordhoff running back Russell Farrar scored on a two-yard run to give the Rangers a 26-19 lead. Farrar rushed for 267 yards in 39 carries.

The Warriors tied the score, 26-26, when Brethren Christian’s quarterback David Priestly tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Muilenburg to force a second overtime.

On the first play of the second overtime, Priestly’s pass was intercepted by Farrar, setting up Musick’s game-winning run.

Priestly completed 16 of 32 passes for 216 yards and threw touchdown passes of 11, four and 10 yards. Muilenburg caught nine passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

“We had three heartbreak losses like this this year,” Brethren Christian Coach Bruce Eien said. “We just came up short tonight. It hurt us when [linebacker] Willie Costa got hurt and had to leave the game.”

The Warriors took a 16-9 lead with 2:46 left in the third quarter when Priestly tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Jay Christensen. Nordhoff tied it, 16-16, when Kevin Zielsdorf scored on a 14-yard run with 10:40 left in the game.

Brethren Christian freshman Keith Witt gave the Warriors a brief lead with a 22-yard field goal, but Nordhoff came back and tied the score with 50 seconds left onMatt Cresto’s 21-yard field goal.