Notre Dame Goes Down Kicking, 41-38

The agony on the faces of the Notre Dame High players told the story.

When sophomore tailback Michael Okwo of Mira Costa scored on a four-yard run on his 46th carry of the night, it gave the Mustangs a 41-38 overtime victory in a Southern Section Division III semifinal Friday night at Mira Costa.

In a game of twists and turns, including a missed field goal on the last play of the fourth quarter, Notre Dame let it slip away after seemingly having no chance to win.

How bleak did the game look for Notre Dame in the second quarter? With 7:26 left, Mira Costa had scored two touchdowns, kicked two field goals, recovered three fumbles and led, 20-0.

Then, as if the Knights were struck by lightning, they came back. In a little more than two minutes, they took a 21-20 halftime lead with three touchdowns. Then offensive guard Tim Volk ran 80 yards for a touchdown on a fumblerooski on the first play of the second half. Michael Luderer followed with a 45-yard touchdown reception from Phil Beckmann, and Notre Dame was ahead, 35-20.

But there was hardly any time to relax. Okwo, who rushed for 253 yards and scored four touchdowns, scored on 15-yard run, cutting the Mustangs’ deficit to 35-27 with 3:47 left in the third quarter.

Luderer fumbled on the Notre Dame 36, the fourth lost fumble of the game for the Knights.

Morgan Ralls caught a seven-yard touchdown pass, then a two-point conversion, on the first play of the fourth quarter, and it was 35-35.

Jim Sharp, who scored for Notre Dame on a 32-yard fumble-recovery return at the end of the half, intercepted a pass with 2:17 left, giving the Knights the ball on their 45.

On the next play, Beckmann passed 55 yards to Luderer for what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown. But the play was wiped out by a penalty for illegal man down field.

Notre Dame didn’t panic. Beckmann guided the Knights into field-goal position, connecting on passes of seven and 20 yards to Sharp.

Soon, there were six seconds left, and Notre Dame’s Ryan Allen lined up to attempt a 34-yard field goal.

Mira Costa (12-1) twice called time out. Notre Dame players lined up on the sideline holding hands.

Allen is one of the region’s most accurate kickers, having made 10 of 12 field-goal attempts. But his kick was wide right as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

Notre Dame won the toss, got the ball on the 25 and gained little yardage after three plays. Allen was brought in and made a 37-yard field goal.

Notre Dame’s defense had not surrendered more than two touchdowns in a game all season until Friday. But the Knights had never faced a huge offensive line quite like Mira Costa’s, nor a running back with the durability of Okwo.

Mira Costa faced a fourth-and-two from its 17. It could try a field goal to tie the game. Instead, the Mustangs gave the ball to Okwo, who gained four yards to the 13.

Then it was Okwo for four more yards to the nine. Okwo five more yards to the four. Finally, Okwo ended the game with another scoring dive.

Notre Dame was left to ponder what if.

The Knights had overcome much adversity late in the second quarter, putting together a three-touchdown blitz featuring a Carlos Portillo one-yard run, a Beckmann 50-yard run and Sharp’s fumble recovery to lead at halftime, 21-20.

Now it will be up to Hart to try to stop Okwo on Friday in the Division III final.