Two and a half years of frustration and a week of adversity were
exorcised with one of the biggest wins in Live Oak High football
history Friday night. Faced with the prospect of missing the
playoffs despite a resurgent season, then losing four defensive
starters and a coach this week, Live Oak rode a wave of emotion to
a 28-21 comeback victory at rival Gilroy in the Tri-County Athletic
League finale for both teams.
Two and a half years of frustration and a week of adversity were exorcised with one of the biggest wins in Live Oak High football history Friday night.
Faced with the prospect of missing the playoffs despite a resurgent season, then losing four defensive starters and a coach this week, Live Oak rode a wave of emotion to a 28-21 comeback victory at rival Gilroy in the Tri-County Athletic League finale for both teams.
The win virtually assures the Acorns (8-2 overall, 3-2 in TCAL) of a Central Coast Section playoff berth. The CCS will hold its seeding meeting on Sunday.
LO coach Glen Webb said the Acorns treated the Gilroy showdown as their first playoff game, and the contest had a postseason atmosphere.
“We told the kids, this is no big thing, the playoffs are four weeks long, and from here on in it’s do or die for everyone,” Webb said. “These kids had something to prove. If we can’t make the playoffs now, we never will.”
Trailing 21-13 in the fourth quarter and backed up to its own 21-yard-line, LO sucked it up long enough to drive 79 yards in five plays for the tying score on a three-yard TD run by senior back Dustin Muhn.
Then, on Gilroy’s ensuing drive, LO defensive back Doug Porras intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 55 yards for an apparent go-ahead TD. But the score was negated by a penalty. However, two plays later, LO’s Kevin Abbott scored the game-winner from 12 yards out.
Gilroy (7-3 overall, 2-3 in TCAL) drove to the LO 6 but turned the ball over on downs after a QB sack.
Muhn led the Acorns with 89 yards and three TDs, including two in the first half to give LO a 13-7 lead. And, LO’s defense was solid despite allowing GHS’s Justin Sweeney to rush for 181 yards and set a new tri-league rushing mark.
