Katella Holds On to Win, 32-30, After Aliso Niguel Field Goal Fails

Aliso Niguel failed to convert a 34-yard field goal try on the game’s final play and fell to Katella, 32-30, Thursday at Glover Stadium.

Aliso Niguel took possession after Katella mishandled a punt snap at the Wolverine 45-yard line with 1:24 remaining. Joel Smith converted on fourth-and-10 with a 10-yard pass to Geoff Molinski with 59 seconds left, then got completions of 15 and 23 yards to put the Wolverines at the Katella seven-yard line with 24 seconds remaining.

After a Louis Mendez sack knocked Aliso Niguel back to the 17 with 14 seconds left, Smith threw an incomplete pass to set up the field goal with five seconds remaining. But Stephen Berneking’s attempt went wide left.

Katella (2-3) drove for the winning score in the fourth quarter, thanks to a pass interference call and a 47-yard touchdown pass from Haller to Mike Ywakiem . The point-after kick failed.

Haller completed 11 of 20 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns. Aaron Purcha had scoring receptions of nine, 22 and 60 yards and Ruben Torres rushed for 110 yards in 25 carries, also for Katella.

Smith completed his first seven passes for Aliso Niguel (1-5) and finished 16 of 27 for 206 yards.