Tritons Tie Up Dana Hills

San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy and his staff agreed before Friday’s South Coast League opener against Dana Hills that, should the occasion arrive, the team would go for a tie following a touchdown late in the game.

Even though McElroy was tempted to go for two when Oscar Montecinos scored with 1:46 to play, he allowed Bentley Nekritz to kick the extra point and the Tritons tied Dana Hills, 28-28.

“I was going to do it, but they called timeout and changed their defense,” McElroy admitted.

In a game of dramatic momentum shifts, San Clemente (4-1-1, 0-0-1 in league) used a 13-play, 80-yard drive fueled by Montecinos who connected on three consecutive third-and-long situations.

Dana Hills (4-1-1, 0-0-1) had taken a 28-21 lead on Julio Peraza’s spectacular 83-yard run and subsequent two-point conversion with 7:22 to play. That run was Peraza’s third touchdown of the game and put him over 200 yards in the game. He finished with 204 yards in 30 carries.

San Clemente led, 14-6, at halftime behind James Allen’s six-yard run and Dylan Byrd’s three-yard run. But Peraza tied the score with a two-yard run that capped a 12-play, 55-yard drive. Jeremy Walker added the two-point conversion to tie the score.

But the Tritons took the momentum right back as Derek Fraser returned the kickoff 96 yards to make it 21-14.

Walker then scored on a one-yard run but the extra point was wide left, making it 21-20 San Clemente.

Montecinos led the San Clemente offense, rushing for 98 yards in 17 carries and completing six of 13 passes for 68 yards.