Monarchs C.C.S. Championship hopes get "blocked" by Saint Ignatius... 25-22 PHOTOS!
By Darren Sabedra
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SAN JOSE -- Archbishop Mitty was three minutes from advancing to the Central Coast Section Open Division final Saturday night.
But St. Ignatius quarterback Jack Stinn worked his magic to lead a go-ahead touchdown drive, and the Wildcats stopped Mitty's final series at midfield to win 25-22 at Independence High.
Instead of an all-San Jose championship game Friday at San Jose City College, St. Ignatius will travel from San Francisco for a rematch against top-seeded Bellarmine College Prep, which defeated the Wildcats 35-28 on Oct. 27.
Leading by five points with about three minutes left, Mitty tried to extend its advantage with a 43-yard field goal. But the kick was blocked and St. Ignatius took over at its 36 with 2:53 left. Stinn immediately got the Wildcats rolling, completing a 14-yard pass and then running 20 yards down the sideline. A late hit moved the ball to the Mitty 15. On the next play, with Stinn and running back Elijah Dale in the backfield, the snap went to Dale, who wove in for the score. Dale then threw a halfback option pass to Andrew Vollert to give St. Ignatius an eight-point lead with 2:33 remaining.
Mitty reached midfield with 1:10 left but could get not get closer. On fourth down, quarterback Wyatt Hansen was tackled for a 2-yard loss that sealed the victory for St. Ignatius.
"There was a swing of momentum at the end there when they blocked the field goal," Mitty coach Matt Haniger said. "That
gave them a ton of life. I'm thinking if we kick the field goal there, it's probably game over." Mitty had taken a 22-17 lead late in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Daniel Mosko -- the running back's second touchdown of the quarter -- but the Monarchs could not convert a two-point play that would have widened the margin.
A goal-line stand in the fourth quarter prevented St. Ignatius from taking the lead, and the Monarchs drove from their 1 to the St. Ignatius 27. But the Wildcats blocked the field-goal try to start their winning rally.
Stinn threw for 190 yards and one touchdown. Chandler Ramirez led Mitty with 128 yards rushing in 12 carries, 64 yards coming on a play that set up the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. But in the end, St. Ignatius was the team celebrating.
"Mitty's an excellent football team," St. Ignatius coach John Regalia said. "They're very well-coached. Coming in, we knew it was going to take a complete team effort. It was definitely a team effort and a team that believed we could make plays when we needed to."
[email protected]
SAN JOSE -- Archbishop Mitty was three minutes from advancing to the Central Coast Section Open Division final Saturday night.
But St. Ignatius quarterback Jack Stinn worked his magic to lead a go-ahead touchdown drive, and the Wildcats stopped Mitty's final series at midfield to win 25-22 at Independence High.
Instead of an all-San Jose championship game Friday at San Jose City College, St. Ignatius will travel from San Francisco for a rematch against top-seeded Bellarmine College Prep, which defeated the Wildcats 35-28 on Oct. 27.
Leading by five points with about three minutes left, Mitty tried to extend its advantage with a 43-yard field goal. But the kick was blocked and St. Ignatius took over at its 36 with 2:53 left. Stinn immediately got the Wildcats rolling, completing a 14-yard pass and then running 20 yards down the sideline. A late hit moved the ball to the Mitty 15. On the next play, with Stinn and running back Elijah Dale in the backfield, the snap went to Dale, who wove in for the score. Dale then threw a halfback option pass to Andrew Vollert to give St. Ignatius an eight-point lead with 2:33 remaining.
Mitty reached midfield with 1:10 left but could get not get closer. On fourth down, quarterback Wyatt Hansen was tackled for a 2-yard loss that sealed the victory for St. Ignatius.
"There was a swing of momentum at the end there when they blocked the field goal," Mitty coach Matt Haniger said. "That
gave them a ton of life. I'm thinking if we kick the field goal there, it's probably game over." Mitty had taken a 22-17 lead late in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Daniel Mosko -- the running back's second touchdown of the quarter -- but the Monarchs could not convert a two-point play that would have widened the margin.
A goal-line stand in the fourth quarter prevented St. Ignatius from taking the lead, and the Monarchs drove from their 1 to the St. Ignatius 27. But the Wildcats blocked the field-goal try to start their winning rally.
Stinn threw for 190 yards and one touchdown. Chandler Ramirez led Mitty with 128 yards rushing in 12 carries, 64 yards coming on a play that set up the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. But in the end, St. Ignatius was the team celebrating.
"Mitty's an excellent football team," St. Ignatius coach John Regalia said. "They're very well-coached. Coming in, we knew it was going to take a complete team effort. It was definitely a team effort and a team that believed we could make plays when we needed to."
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