"The team with the ball last wins," were the first words from Villa Park coach Pat Mahoney after his Spartans won a down-to-the wire thriller against the Righetti Warriors in both school's high school football opener Friday night at Warrior Stadium. "The clock just ran out on Righetti."

Villa Park prevailed 34-29 in the Week Zero, non-league matchup, spoiling Gary Wilson's debut as head coach for the Warriors, but not dampening his mood.

"We're very happy," said coach Wilson after the game. "We know where we're at. We just had to get that one game under our belt. We wish it would have been a win but maybe this will make us a better team."

The game began with a penalty - the Spartans were offside on the opening kickoff.

When Righetti got the ball they marched down field on a season-opening eight-play, 58-yard drive, in what would become a see-saw down-to-the-wire battle between two evenly matched teams.

Senior running back Mark Malangko carried the load for the Warriors, carrying the ball on six of those plays and 50 of those yards - the drive ending with Malangko flying through the defense four a 24-yard score.

Chad Stephens point after attempt was wide left, giving the Warriors an early 6-0 lead.

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Villa Park, from east Orange County - about five miles from Disneyland - was on the move as the first quarter ended.

They scored just :50-seconds into the second quarter on a one-yard run by Derek Hines. The Spartans missed the extra point, Taylor Buckley's kick was wide right, and the game was tied at six.

With 6:12 left in the first half, VP's Taylor Bostick scored on a first-and-goal play from the four yard line. Buckley's kick was good and the Spartans were up 13-6.

Stephens closed the gap to 13-9 with a 25-yard field goal 1:37 before the half.

The second half is when the fireworks began.

Villa Park went up 20-9 on an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brad Johnson to running back Michael Simons.

The touchdown capped a methodical nine-play, 63-yard drive with 7:10 left in the third quarter.

Righetti came right back - eating up six minutes on a 13 play 54-yard drive culminating with a Dally score on a four-yard keeper. The Warriors tried a 2-point conversion but Dally was stopped at the goalline but the Warriors had closed the gap to 20-15.

The fourth quarter produced a season's worth of excitement.

Righetti scored - and went up 21-20.

VP came back with a touchdown to go up 28-21.

Righetti responded with another touchdown and spectacular two point conversion to go ahead 29-28.

Then Villa Park came back for one final drive and put the game away with less than one-minute to go.

The scoring binge began as the fourth quarter began.

Righetti had just received a punt from VP as the gun sounded, ending the third quarter.

Dally pitched the ball to Malangko - goof for five yards.

Dally handed the ball to Malangko, who broke free for a 53-yard gain.

Malangko for one yard. Malangko again - this time losing two.

Then a fake to Malangko, and Dally was able to pull off a naked bootleg to his left and outraced the Spartans into the end zone for a four-yard TD run. The two-point conversion failed, but Righetti was up 21-20 with 9:49 on the clock.

Both defense stepped up.

Righetti shut down VP and got the ball back with 7:01 to play.

The Spartans stopped the Warriors and got another chance with 5:13 to play.

Righetti got the ball back at the 4:51 mark. VP got it again with 3:54 on the clock.

On second-and-three from their own 17-yard line, Villa Park quarterback tossed an overhand lateral to wide receiver Greg Dischner. Dischner turned and tossed a perfect strike to wide receiver Justin Pack who raced past the Warrior defense and hauled in an 83-yard touchdown pass.

Johnson's pass to Viken Bitar was good for a two point conversion and VP was up 28-21 with 2:50 to go in the game.

Things weren't looking good for the Warriors.

But Dally hit Lino Esparza with a 27-yard pass. Malangko picked up 27 yards on a run to the left side and was barely stopped short of the goal line.

Dally tried a quarterback sneak. He was stuffed at the line. He tried it again and scored.

Villa park was up 28-26 and Righetti coach called for a two-point conversion try.

Dally wanted to pass. He was flushed from the pocket. He ran back to the 30-yard line with VP defenders pawing all over him. He ran to his left, his right - he ran all the way to Fresno and back - with defenders grabbing his left leg and nearly dragging him down but somehow managed to stay on his feet and, with all eleven VP defenders trying to nail him, found a wide-open Marcus Garietz in the middle of the end zone and the two-point try was good.

Righetti was up 29-28 with just 1:39 on the clock.

But the Spartans refused to give up or give in.

A 26-yard pass to Viken Bitar, a 9-yard run by Taylor Bostick, a defensive holding penalty on Righetti and VP was knocking on Righetti's door with 54.8-seconds to go.

Their coach called a quick-hitter to Bostick up the middle and he ran it straight in for a 15-yard TD with 49.2-seconds left in the game. The PAT was no good, but the Spartans were up 34-29 and "The clock ran out on them," said Mahoney.

"This game is played from the neck up," said Wilson. "It's all about using your head. We'll learn from it and be ready for Santa Maria next week."

Sept. 4, 2004