Westlake Turned Around by Blocked Kick, 41-39

In a dramatic ending to an extraordinary game, Nick Kellams of San Marcos High blocked a 42-yard field-goal attempt by Drew Thomas with 12.8 seconds left, enabling the Royals to pull out a 41-39 victory over Westlake on Friday night in a Southern Section Division IV first-round playoff thriller.

Westlake coaches angrily protested that snapper Matt Warman was illegally knocked down on the play, but their pleas were ignored.

“They ran the center over,” assistant John Kidder said.

Said Kellams: “I jumped over him.”

There were four lead changes in the second half as both teams marched up and down the field. In the end, Westlake (8-2-1) had no answer for quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt of San Marcos.

In a year of great prep quarterbacks with the likes of Hart’s Kyle Boller, Long Beach Poly’s Chris Lewis and Venice’s J.P. Losman, the 6-foot-3 Van Pelt belongs right with them. He rushed for 144 yards in 24 carries, scored three touchdowns, passed for 97 yards, punted, kicked off and made tackles on defense.

“Players make plays and that guy is a player,” said All-American tight end Mike Seidman of Westlake. “He’s one of the best I’ve played against.”

Westlake battled back from a 28-17 halftime deficit, scoring on its first two possessions of the second half. Quarterback Zac Wasserman completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Howard and scored on a two-yard run to give the Warriors a 32-28 lead with 2:30 left in the third quarter.

Then Van Pelt led San Marcos on a 67-yard, six-play drive, scoring on a 26-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Wasserman, who completed 21 of 36 passes for 382 yards, made clutch pass after clutch pass in the second half. His key target was Howard, who caught eight passes for 150 yards.

Julian Lambert’s five-yard touchdown run with 7:32 left put Westlake ahead, 39-35.

But Van Pelt wasn’t to be denied. San Marcos took over the ball on its own 33, and 12 plays later, Todd Aguilera scored from the 1 with 1:51 left.

“They are not going to control our destiny,” Van Pelt said.

Westlake players tried helplessly to arm-tackle Van Pelt, and he’d simply break away. He attempted only one pass in the second half and finished nine of 15.

Wasserman frantically drove Westlake down the field for a possible winning field goal. Seidman made a magnificent 25-yard reception on first-and-22 from Westlake’s 35 to keep the Warriors alive as time ticked away.

The Warriors moved the ball to San Marcos’ 20 with 21 seconds left when Westlake Coach Jim Benkert sent in Thomas. An illegal procedure penalty moved the ball back five yards. Thomas, who made a 48-yard field goal in the first half, never got his chance. Kellams charged through untouched for the block.

San Marcos came in with only a 3-7 record because of five forfeit defeats, but there was no doubt this would be a competitive game. No one was disappointed.