Trevor Bearden broke a 97-touchdown run to put Live Oak ahead of Westmont. Mitch Crowley made the play to preserve the 21-14 win.
With 32 seconds left in the game and Westmont facing fourth-and-eight from the Live Oak 30, Crowley stepped in front of AJ Mintz’ pass and came up with the pick that send the Acorns to 3-0 in the Santa Teresa Division.
“Every time we’d do zone, the tight end would run the same route every play,” Crowley said. “Every time he ran the route, it was the same one. I knew it was coming to him because he was rolling out in the zone and it was fourth down, so I just jumped it.”
He came up with Live Oak’s second take away of the game and was the final measure in a well orchestrated second half performance by the defense.
It was atonement for the Acorn defense after facing the exact situation in the second quarter. A big kickoff return put Westmont on the Live Oak 32 that led to a touchdown and a 14-7 Warrior lead at the half.
After allowing two first-half scores, the Acorns never allowed Westmont to gain a single first down in the second. The only time the Warriors ran more than four plays in a single series was thanks to a holding penalty in the third quarter.
“They wanted to get in there. And when we asked them at half time if they were going to make the plays in the second half. They said yes and they came out and did it,” coach Mike Gemo said.
Meanwhile, Bearden kept chipping away at the Westmont defense until he got a big run when it mattered most.
“I saw an opening and I just got it. And once I get past the first level, I know I’m going to score,” Bearden said.
His run came with 1:31 left to play in the game and he then handed it to his defense to make the lead stand up.
“Every game, out kick off puts our defense in a hole, but still, they get a stop, so it’s good,” Bearden said.
Bearden now has 1,534 yards this season and is 428 yards away from breaking the CCS career rushing record.
Westmont had a much stronger first half, capitalizing on a Live Oak first quarter turnover.
The Warriors pushed themselves off their own goal line to their 32-yard line when Mark Derobertis broke a 68-yard touchdown run.
Up 7-0, Westmont held that lead through the remainder of the first quarter and through most of the second.
That was until Live Oak when on an 80-yard scoring drive highlighted by a Bearden 39-yard run to the 1-foot line. He nearly scored but was forced out of bounds at the last possible second.
Three plays later, Bearden punched the ball in to tie the score.
The ensuing kick off led to a short field for Westmont. The Warriors picked up a big fourth-down conversion thanks in part to a pass interference penalty when Westmont faced fourth and long.
The next play, Derobertis went three yards for the first, setting up a Mintz to Dominique Frazier 10-yard pass play with less than a minute to play in the half.
To start the second half, Live Oak over came getting a flag for starting the half late when homecoming fireworks turned off the lights. The lights couldn’t come on in time to start the game on time and Live Oak took the penalty.
Still, the Acorns got the ball on their own 32 and Bearden led a 68-yard drive capped with him going the final four yards to tie the game 14-14.
Live Oak nearly had a second quick score when Jonathan Freitas recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
But the Warriors stymied the drive and got the ball back and Live Oak couldn’t convert a first down.
The Acorns nearly got a second big break to start the fourth quarter when Westmont punted to end the third.
The officials didn’t adjust which side of the field Live Oak started from, allowing the Acorns to start in Westmont territory to begin the fourth.
But the drive ended with a Warrior interception.
Live Oak will now get ready for its final home game of the season taking on Silver Creek. Silver Creek is the surprise of the division winning its first two league games after going 0-3 to start the year.
The Raiders are taking on San Jose Saturday.
Live Oak will put it’s 3-0 record on the line against the surprise of the division. A week later, the Acorns have to go into Lincoln, who knocked off Leigh to improve to 2-0 in league play.
Live Oak will now be the big target heading into those two games.
“It feels good, but you can’t let it bring you down. You got to keep working hard every day,” Crowley said.
Live Oak will host Silver Creek 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Richert Field.
