Saddleback Blows Chances in 14-13 Loss

Saddleback didn’t lack for prime chances to extend its 18-game winning streak Saturday in a football game against visiting Cerritos.

But the Gauchos missed a short field-goal attempt with about three minutes left after earlier having to settle for a field goal, despite a first down at the one. The failures resulted in a 14-13 loss.

“We didn’t win this one, but we sure tried hard,” Saddleback Coach Bill Cunerty said. “I can’t ever fault them when they played that hard. You just have to live with the outcome.”

It was the second time that Cerritos had stopped a lengthy Saddleback winning streak. Cerritos won, 21-15, in 1993 to end Saddleback’s 20-game streak.

Saddleback is 1-1, but one thing is sure--the defense is performing better than the offense. Cerritos was limited to 25 yards in the second half, including minus 11 rushing. Saddleback had 298 yards in total offense and Cerritos had 159.

Saddleback’s best chance to win came when the Gauchos drove to the Cerritos four with 3 minutes 18 seconds to play. A third-down run gained a yard and brought on kicker Brett Thompson.

But Thompson, who was hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates after his overtime field goal gave the Gauchos a 24-21 victory last week, failed in his bid to be the hero again.

He missed wide left from 21 yards and Cerritos took over at its 20. The Falcons were forced to punt but Saddleback was called for roughing the kicker with 1:11 left. Cerritos then ran out the clock.

“You’re still the best,” Cunerty told Thompson after the game. “I still love you.”

Cerritos got its first score when defensive lineman Charles O’Neal intercepted a screen pass and ran 27 yards to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. Cerritos went ahead, 14-7, when running back Michael Moody caught a pass in the middle of the field and ran into the end zone to complete the 24-yard scoring play early in the second quarter. The score was set up when Cerritos recovered a fumbled punt at the Saddleback 15.

Thompson cut the lead to 14-10 with a 27-yard field goal with 2:42 left in the half.

In other Mission Conference games:

Fullerton 21, Pasadena 19 (OT)--Trailing, 13-0, with less than four minutes to play, Lazell Kitchen scored a touchdown to start Fullerton on its way to an unlikely win over Pasadena, the 17th-ranked team in the nation.

After a bad snap on a punt attempt and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Hornets got the ball on Pasadena’s 29-yard line with 1:48 to play.

The Hornets capitalized on the miscue when Geoff Berg hit Paul Wise for a one-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game to tie the score 13-13. But kicker Eric Olafsson missed wide right on the ensuing extra point and the game went to overtime.

In overtime, Pasadena scored on a one-yard run by Isaac Williams, but again an extra point failed as Donnie Gunritz blocked his third kick of the game and Chuck Pine picked up the ball at the 20-yard line and returned it 80 yards for two points.

The outcome was decided when Berg scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper to give the Hornets (1-2) their first victory of the season and hand Pasadena (2-1) its first loss.

Golden West 41, San Diego Mesa 24--Golden West quarterback John Frank played only one half, but he passed for 128 yards and two touchdowns for the Rustlers. Frank, who left the game because of an illness at halftime, gave way to Matt Wentz.

Long Beach 41, Santa Ana 23--Long Beach defeated Santa Ana, 41-23, at Veterans Stadium. Long Beach rolled up 365 yards in offense. Santa Ana managed only 236 total yards.