Saints refuse to lose finale

It was an old fashioned barn burner Friday night at St. Joseph High's Al Maguire Field.

When the dust settled, the Santa Maria Saints closed their 2002 football season with a 24-17 overtime victory over their crosstown Los Padres League rivals, the St. Joseph Knights.

"Santa Maria played well, we played well, we had our chances but just couldn't get it done," said Knights coach Barney Eames.

"We had a couple of bad breaks tonight but our kids just wouldn't quit," said Saints coach Jim Doyle. "I'm proud of the way they hung in there and we came away with the win."

The loss dropped the Knights (2-3, 2-7) into a three-way tie for third in the LPL with the Saints (2-3, 3-7) and the Santa Ynez Pirates (2-3, 3-7) who lost to the second place Morro Bay Pirates (3-2, 5-5). It also jumbled the CIF playoff picture with St. Joseph still favored to get in, although the final answer won't be known until Sunday.

From the beginning, both teams played hard-nosed, pound-it-out, smash mouth football.

The teams combined for 108 running plays, with the Saints grinding out 337 yards on the ground and the Knights picking up 141.

That much was predictable. Both coaches favor the ground attack. What wasn't predictable was the final score.

St. Joseph used the backfield rotation of Nicholas San Juan (21 rushes for 51 yards), with Brandon Merlo as his blocking fullback, alternating with Tim Savey (11 for 60), with fullback Ross Gracia. They used that rotation until Savey went out with a shoulder injury (not serious according to coach Eames), then Sean Wolfe (6 runs for 9 yards) took over Savey's role.

Santa Maria went inside then outside with fullback Pete Gonzalez (30 carries for 122 yards) pounding the ball inside and I-back Pablo Ramos (20 for 174) taking pitches from quarterback Billy Kennedy and heading for the corners.

"Our kids did a great job tonight," said Doyle after the game. "We had a lot of unselfish players on the field tonight. It showed in the way they played as a team."

The first quarter was scoreless with both teams trading punches like heavyweight fighters. Santa Maria was getting the best of it, putting together one 53-yard drive that stalled at the Knights' 16-yard line. But stellar Saints kicker Victor Velasco was wide to the right on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

Midway through the second quarter, the Knights offense got into gear. Savey's 37 yard run from near midfield keyed the drive. Saints defensive back Brad Bowen made a touchdown saving tackle at the 12, but three plays later Knights quarterback Matt Crist faked to San Juan and ran a naked bootleg to his left for a 7-yard touchdown at 5:28 of the second quarter.

Michael Priestman kicked the extra point and St. Joseph was on top 7-0. That lead lasted exactly 9 seconds.

Bowen grabbed the ensuing kickoff at the Saints' 30 yard line and returned it to the Saints' 47. On the next play, Kennedy pitched to Ramos who raced 53 yards into the endzone. Velasco's PAT made it 7-7 with 5:19 left in the half.

Then it was the Knights' turn. After St. Joe's Jacob Bychak recovered a Saints fumble, the Knights went 37 yards on six plays. Gracia ran it in from the five and Priestman's kick made it 14-7 with 1:08 left in the half.

But Santa Maria wouldn't quit. They took the opening kickoff of the second half and went on a 9 play, 64 yard march ending with Gonzalez powering it in from the three. Velasco's kick tied it up with 7:17 left in the third.

The teams fought to a draw through until Priestman hit a 21 yard field goal to put the Knights up 17-14 with 6:01 left in the fourth quarter.

And again the Saints wouldn't quit, using 16 plays to march up the field, setting up a Velasco game-tying field goal with 10 seconds left in the game.

The Saints got the ball first in overtime. Starting at the 25 yard line, Santa Maria gave the ball to Gonzalez six straight times who finally took it in from the one.

St. Joseph, also starting from the 25, couldn't score on their overtime attempt and the Saints had their season-ending victory.

"I am really proud of the way the team played," said Eames. "We've improved so much since the year began. We've just got to use this as a learning experience and build from here."

"To finish with a win like this, it was just an emotional win. This is something to build on for next season," said Doyle. "And it was a great game for our seniors to go out on."

November 16, 2002