Notre Dame Survives by Foot, 24-21
Juan Plascencia is a soccer goalie serving as Notre Dame High’s kicker only because the first-string kicker, Pat Thomsen, is in Europe playing soccer.
Plascencia earned himself a place in Notre Dame history Friday night when he kicked a 31-yard field goal with 1:42 left to give the Knights a 24-21 victory over Agoura in a Southern Section Division III first-round playoff game.
It was a wild finish.
Agoura (7-4), third-place finisher in the Marmonte League, had a fourth-and-25 situation from its 21 when Ryan McCann connected to Aaron Pruter for a 33-yard gain with 33 seconds left.
The Chargers got the ball to the Notre Dame 31 with nine seconds left. First Agoura called timeout. Then Notre Dame called timeout. It was fourth down and 10 yards to go.
McCann fired a short pass to tailback Chris Poling, who easily could have picked up the first down. But he ran out of bounds at the 22, one yard short, with three seconds left.
Notre Dame (9-2) took possession and ran out the clock.
Agoura did everything required to pull off the upset. Poling rushed for 202 yards in 24 carries. The Chargers’ defense held Justin Fargas to 119 yards in 20 carries.
After a 14-14 tie at halftime, Notre Dame went ahead, 21-14, early in the third quarter on a 65-yard touchdown pass play from David DeMartinis to Rod Arzu. DeMartinis completed 13 of 20 passes for 185 yards.
But Agoura tied the game, 21-21, with 6:52 remaining on a seven-yard touchdown run by Dylan Hull. It was a 75-yard, 12-play drive that saw the Chargers overcome first and 20 at their 15 and first and 33 on their 36.
Notre Dame finally put pressure on McCann on Agoura’s final drive. Sophomore Alec Moss and senior Brandon Woods each recorded sacks of McCann, who completed 19 of 33 passes for 185 yards.
Agoura’s offensive line repeatedly punished the Knights in the 14-14 first half. If not for Poling’s fumble on the Notre Dame eight in the second quarter, the Chargers would have been in control.
Poling rushed for 149 yards in 14 carries, running behind tackles Michael Beams and Derek Graf.
Fargas scored touchdowns on runs of 31 and three yards. He had 108 yards in 14 carries at the half, and none of his yards came easily. On one first-half possession, Agoura nose guard David Correia twice dropped Fargas for two-yard losses.
Agoura gained confidence late in the first quarter when Fargas broke loose down the left sideline and seemed headed for a 72-yard touchdown run. But cornerback Garrett Lepisto never gave up. He raced after Fargas, then tripped him up on the Agoura 34 by diving from behind to save a touchdown.
