Servite Learns Its Lessons, Rallies for Victory Over Chino

The fourth quarter lasts 12 minutes, and that’s about how long it took for Anaheim Servite to go from young and inexperienced to seasoned and tested.

Servite, with no returning starters on offense, rallied for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to defeat Chino, 28-21, in its biggest test of the season Friday night at Chino High.

Omar Ramiro ran untouched around the right side of the line for 17 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 3 minutes 9 seconds to play.

Chino, ranked No. 16 by The Times, started its next possession at its 26-yard line and drove to Servite’s 14, but a pass on fourth down and eight yards came up three yards short with 1:08 left and Servite (3-0) ran out the clock.

“For this team, this is huge,” Servite Coach Larry Toner said. “We don’t have experience and our talent isn’t overwhelming, but tonight we faced a challenge and had to swing from the bottom.

“I don’t think you find out about your team until that happens. This was a good statement of character.”

Chino (2-1) took a 21-14 lead when quarterback Aaron Garcia connected with Oscar Roman on a 30-yard scoring pass play with 3:10 left in the third quarter. The teams exchanged punts before Ramiro caught a swing pass from quarterback Mike Lawrence and raced 70 yards to tie the score, 21-21.

Servite then held Chino on three downs and took over at its 39-yard line after a Chino punt. A 13-yard pass from Lawrence to Chris Reinert on a third-and-12 play and an 18-yard run by Lawrence helped set up Ramiro’s winning touchdown.

Lawrence completed 12 of 24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Reinert caught five passes for 92 yards. Running back R.J. Stanford led Chino with 148 yards in 13 carries.

Servite running back Ken Ashley, who last week set a school record with five rushing touchdowns, left the game at halftime with a dislocated thumb and was taken to a hospital.