Wall Hits for Birmingham

They played through pain, through exhaustion, through real adversity Friday night. It was an extraordinary three-hour game between Birmingham and El Camino Real in which players on both sides refused to give up hope.

When it finally ended on sophomore John Wall’s 24-yard field goal in overtime, Birmingham players charged onto the field to celebrate a 27-24 Northwest Valley Conference victory.

Several El Camino Real players lay on the turf, unable to accept defeat.

“This is the greatest game I’ve ever played in,” Birmingham quarterback Scott Doherty said. “Players stepped up.”

Doherty completed just one of five passes for two yards in the first half when Birmingham (6-1, 3-1 in conference play) fell behind, 12-0. But he threw two touchdown passes in the second half, a 96-yarder to Aaron Minor and an eight-yarder to Minor with 1:12 left in regulation to pull the Braves to within 24-22.

Emmanuel Evans ran in the two-point conversion to send the game into overtime.

Birmingham scored 16 points in the third quarter and appeared ready to pull away from the Conquistadores (5-2, 2-2).

Except El Camino Real’s Quincy Wright wouldn’t let them.

Wright simply put the Conquistadores on his back. He carried the ball on nine consecutive plays and 11 out of 12 on a 52-yard drive that ended with his one-yard touchdown with 8:55 left to put El Camino Real on top, 18-16.

Wright, who missed last week’s game with a bruised knee, finished with 261 yards in a stunning 37 carries.

Birmingham was driving for a possible go-ahead score when a bad snap went through Doherty’s legs and El Camino Real’s Demond Daniels picked up the loose ball and ran 51 yards to the Birmingham 20 with 4:34 left.

Daniels scored on a six-yard touchdown run with 3:06 left for a 24-16 El Camino Real lead.

In the end, missing on all four of its conversions cost El Camino Real. Twice quarterback Aaron Fredette was stopped on option plays, once he threw an incomplete pass and once Blane Kezirian missed a kick.

Birmingham proved it’s the No. 1 challenger to Taft in conference play by refusing to give up.

“We are a good team,” Doherty shouted emphatically afterward. “We deserved [to win].”

Said Birmingham Coach Dave Lertzman: “I’m so proud of these kids.”

Evans, who never left the field, had 112 yards in 19 carries for Birmingham.

Birmingham should be thankful it escaped trailing just 12-0 at halftime. The Braves were out-gained, 260-50, in yardage and had just two first downs. Three of their five first-half possessions resulted in three plays and a punt.

Meanwhile, a healthy Wright was running left, right and up the middle. He had 151 yards in 17 carries. Fredette contributed touchdown runs of 17 and one yard.

About the only mistake the Conquistadores made was a bad pitch by Fredette that halted a drive in the second quarter.