Live Oak edges Leigh to even overall record and capture first
league win Morgan Hill – Defense, determination and a late,
fourth-quarter trick play propelled the Live Oak football team past
the Leigh High School Longhorns 7-6 Friday.
Morgan Hill – Defense, determination and a late, fourth-quarter trick play propelled the Live Oak football team past the Leigh High School Longhorns 7-6 Friday.
After more than three and a half scoreless quarters, the Acorns broke the stalemate with five minutes left in the game on a trick play.
Live Oak junior quarterback Jeff Roberts took the snap and threw a pass down the line of scrimmage to senior wide receiver, and back up QB, Tim O’Rourke.
O’Rourke caught the pass and took two steps back, making him an eligible passer, and found senior running back Steven Rodriguez down field for a 46-yard touchdown.
“‘Rodriguez went into motion from the backfield, faked like he was going to block for O’Rourke, and then ran a streak,” head coach Jon Michael Porras said. “O’Rourke set up and threw a perfect pass … it was a designed trick play.”
Senior Casey Mott kicked the point after attempt through the goalposts giving Live Oak a 7-0 lead.
On Leigh’s ensuing possession quarterback Ryan Stillwell scored on a one-yard QB sneak with 2:40 left.
Opting for the win the Longhorns elected to go for the two-point conversion, but running back Ryan Valentine was stopped on a run up the middle by the blitzing Acorn defense.
“Coach Booth made a great call,” Porras said. “He had an inclination that they were going to run the ball up the middle so we just filled the gaps .. our defense stepped up and saved us.”
Live Oak gave Leigh the ball within their own 15-yard line on three occasions, two of which were within the three.
“Our offense didn’t really help, but Leigh had plenty of opportunities to score and they couldn’t because our defense played so hard,” Porras said.
“Before the game I told them that they were like a cornered animal who must fight for their lives … and the defense was clawing and scratching and doing all they could to prevent Leigh from scoring.”
The win brings the Acorns record to to .500 at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Mount Hamilton division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Leigh dropped to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in league.
“It was a big win for us and we’re using this as a springboard,” Porras said. “Now that we’re 3-3 we can almost taste the playoffs … we just have to keep doing what we’re doing, not take anytime off, and finish as one of the four teams that goes to the playoffs.”
