Backup kicker hits 21-yard field goal to secure win, advance
Acorns to championship game SAN JOSE For the first time since 1989,
the Live Oak High School football team heads into the championship
game of the Central Coast Section Medium School Division
playoffs.
Backup kicker hits 21-yard field goal to secure win, advance Acorns to championship game
SAN JOSE
For the first time since 1989, the Live Oak High School football team heads into the championship game of the Central Coast Section Medium School Division playoffs.
With their starting quarterback and kicker forced to watch from the sidelines due to injuries, the Acorns narrowly defeated the Saratoga Falcons 17-14 Friday in the semi-finals at San Jose City College.
Junior running back and defensive back Jeff Blean nailed a 21-yard field goal with 16.3 seconds left in the game to lift the No. 2 seed Acorns over the No. 6 seed Falcons.
Filling in for senior kicker Casey Mott, who tore his ACL the previous weekend, Blean was put to the test as the Falcons used their last two timeouts to try and “ice” the back-up kicker.
“I was so scared,” Blean said. “After they called the first timeout I was a little more scared, and then they called another timeout and it got worse. But I was so glad to put it through.”
Blean was starting kicker for the Acorns during the 2006-07 season, but has not kicked one field goal this season.
“I practiced kicking field goals this week with another player, but it was a game time decision for me to go in,” Blean said. “It feels great to be part of the Live Oak team that made it to the finals for the first time in 18 years. I feel honored and privileged.”
Looking for redemption from an early season loss to Saratoga, the Acorns found it with plays from some likely and unlikely players.
Senior Matt Cummins, normally a defensive back and wide receiver, made his first start at quarterback, filling in for junior Jeff Roberts who broke his ankle in the Acorns first round playoff game against Sobrato High School on Nov. 16.
Cummins finished five-of-nine passing for 93 yards, with one touchdown.
“We owe it to Jeff,” Cummins said in regards to the win.
Late in the fourth quarter, Cummins hit senior tight end Will Sparling with a 29-yard pass up the middle for the Acorns second TD of the night.
Sparling caught the pass between three defenders and broke a tackle on his way into the end zone, putting Live Oak up 14-7 over the Falcons.
Sparling had two catches for 43 yards to lead the Acorns.
Senior safety and wide receiver Kyle Hennings leaped up and intercepted the Falcons’ first pass attempt, on the third play of the game, but the Acorns gave the ball right back when junior running back Billy Van Aken fumbled on the Acorns ensuing possession.
Van Aken had 54 yards on 11 carries.
Falcons’ senior quarterback Kyle Guengrich hit senior wide receiver Andrew Capek with an 18-yard TD pass to take a 0-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Acorns answered back in the second when senior running back Steven Rodriguez capped a 12-play, 74-yard drive with a four-yard TD run.
Cummins completed the drive with a QB keeper for the two-point conversion.
Rodriguez led the Acorns rushing with 22 carries for 80 yards.
Senior wide receiver Tim O’Rourke had only one catch for 29 yards, but also drew two crucial pass interference penalties giving Live Oak big first downs.
The Falcons wouldn’t go away, however, and on the third play of the fourth quarter senior Keon Ghafouri ran for a 16-yard TD to even the score at 14.
Seniors Garrett Webb, Zach Young, and Anthony Jones anchored the Acorns defense, each making big tackles resulting in negative yardage for the Falcons.
Head coach Jon Michael Porras said he knew his team would win, after the Live Oak crowd began singing the National Anthem when it was announced that there would be no anthem played.
“That’s the kind of community Morgan Hill is,” Porras said. “And when that happened I had a feeling the game was ours.”
Porras said Cummins wasn’t even really on the Acorns depth chart for QB, but opted for him to start because of his killer instinct, closer mentality, and familiarity playing the position in previous years.
“Cummins stepped up admirably,” Porras said. “His leadership was there.”
In regards to Blean’s game winning FG, Porras said, “After they iced him twice I knew he would make it. He was wired, and even more wired after the first timeout, but he was calm after the second timeout. It backfired on (the Falcons).”
The Acorns face No.1 seed Riordan at 7 p.m. Saturday at San Jose City College to determine the Medium School Division CCS champions.
