CCS football: Sacred Heart Prep falls in dramatic Open Division III final

12/1/2018

PHIL JENSEN | pjensen@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

Aptos scored a go-ahead TD in the final minute of the game, and then sealed the victory with an INT. That Gators finished the season with an 11-2 record, and were 4-1 in league play.

CAMPBELL – The offenses of Aptos High and Sacred Heart Prep put extreme pressure on each other in the final three quarters of the Central Coast Section Open Division III championship game Saturday.

But Aptos was able to reach the end zone last, and that was what gave the Mariners a 35-34 victory at Westmont High.

“Their run game is relentless and fast-paced, and they are extremely well-coached,” Sacred Heart Prep coach Mark Grieb said. “They played well, we played well, we came up on the short end.”

Aptos drove 81 yards in 63 seconds to score the game-winning touchdown on a 10-yard Marcos Reyes run with 57 seconds remaining. The Mariners’ two-point conversion run failed, then Sacred Heart Prep sophomore quarterback Raymond Price drove his team to near midfield. But an interception by Aptos’ Hunter Matys with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Mariners.

Sacred Heart Prep has been eliminated from the playoffs..

Price finished with a team-high 117 yards rushing and a touchdown, and also completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 197 yards and a score.

“I don’t think Raymond ever shies away from contact,” said Grieb about Price hanging in the pocket. “He competed. He had some big-time throws tonight.”

Price scored on a 48-yard run with 2:05 remaining in the game to give second-seeded Sacred Heart Prep (11-2) a 34-29 lead over No. 5 seed Aptos (11-2). But a two-point conversion pass failed.

Sacred Heart Prep trailed 7-0 early in the second quarter before a couple of special-teams plays ignited the team.

On a 24-yard field goal attempt, the snap was to the left of holder Price. Kicker Ronan Donnelly grabbed the ball, faded back and lofted a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jack Kirkham.

Less than a minute later, Kirkham again came up big for the Gators. J.P. Frimel blocked an Aptos punt and Kirkham recovered the ball in the end zone for a safety and an 8-7 Sacred Heart Prep lead. A seven-yard touchdown run by Tommy Barnds helped give Sacred Heart Prep a 15-7 advantage, but a 14-yard touchdown run by Reyes and two-point conversion tied the game at 15 at halftime.

Trailing 22-15 late in the third quarter, Sacred Heart Prep tied the score on a three-yard pass from Price to Barnds. Aptos took a 29-22 lead in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard run by Josh Powell, but Sacred Heart Prep answered back with a three-yard run by Barnds. However, the kick for the extra point was blocked and hit the crossbar, and Aptos still had a 29-28 advantage.

“Our defense has been a rock all year long and has carried us,” Grieb said. “That’s an incredible offense over there. Last week against Palma, they scored 49 points. We held them to 35.”

Reyes rushed for a game-high 196 yards in the win.

Click here for the full article...

Back