Canyons Victory a Wild One

Kevin Carrasco threw two touchdown passes in the final 51 seconds and College of the Canyons rallied to shock Hancock, 42-41, in a wild Western State Conference Northern Division game Saturday night at Canyons.

Canyons (5-1, 2-0 in conference play), trailed, 41-28, when Hancock’s Jason Lee kicked a 27-yard field goal with 1 minute 6 seconds remaining.

That left Carrasco to provide an incredible finish to a career performance. It took just 20 seconds.

Carrasco connected with Mark Hamilton for a 38-yard touchdown on the Cougars’ first play.

Jason Edwards then recovered an onside kick for Canyons at the Bulldogs’ 38.

Three plays later--all completions by Carrasco--the sophomore quarterback found Zeke Prado in the corner of the end zone.

Heloyt Cervantes provided the winning point-after.

“I feel like I must have a pretty good God,” Carrasco said. “I can’t believe this.

“You never think that it’s over. You can’t think that way.”

Carrasco completed 25 of 44 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns.

The victory was the fourth come-from-behind triumph for Canyons, which resurrected its program this season after a 17-year hiatus.

This was the most impressive, however.

Hancock (5-1, 1-1) entered the game ranked fifth in the state and 11th in the nation after drubbing Santa Barbara, 56-3.

“Are you kidding me?” Canyons Coach Chuck Lyon said. “I don’t believe this. But we just never give up. I’m in shock.

“We’re there. This program has arrived.”

Hancock broke a 28-28 tie with Lee’s 47-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and extended the lead to 38-28 on an 11-yard run by Chris Lester, brother of Pittsburgh Steeler running back Tim Lester.

Canyons appeared finished when Carrasco couldn’t connect on a pass on fourth down at midfield with six minutes to play.

Hancock took over at the Canyons 47 and ran seven consecutive running plays before Canyons held.

Carrasco came out firing on the Cougars’ opening possession, completing his first four attempts to move the ball to the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line.

Backup Chris Kobe entered and immediately hit Sean Cogswell with a swing pass for a 7-0 lead.

Hancock pulled even late in the quarter on a 25-yard touchdown run by Tyler Otis.

Two completions by Carrasco set up Canyons’ next score, a 17-yard run by Jason Parks.

Early in the second quarter, Carrasco scrambled from the pocket and threw short over the middle to Mark Hamilton, who broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown.

Hancock battled back to tie the score, 21-21, before halftime with lengthy second-quarter drives that culminated with one-yard touchdown runs by Matt Daniels and Eugene Thomas.