The Righetti Warriors came up one point short in a thrilling battle against their old Northern League rivals, the Lompoc Braves, in a non-league football matchup Friday night at Warrior Stadium.

Righetti fell 22-21 in a game that was easily as close as the final score.

"We played hard but unfortunately we didn't come away with the win," said Warriors running back Mark Malangko.

The Braves (3-0) mounted a furious fourth quarter comeback to nip the Warriors (1-2) - scoring a touchdown and nailing a two-point conversion to clinch the win with just 46-seconds left on the game clock.

The loss negated two brilliant fourth quarter defensive stands by Righetti and some offensive brilliance from RHS quarterback Jonathan Dally and Malangko.

Righetti took the early lead - going up 7-0 on a four-play, 74 yard drive midway through the first quarter.

Malangko took a hand-off from Dally, started out running to his right then cut to his left - leaving the Braves defenders in his dust - crossing the goalline like a streak of lightning for a 40-yard touchdown. Francisco Chavez's point-after was good.

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The Braves came right back.

They took the ensuing kickoff and marched 85-yards on seven plays to even the score with 3:23 remaining in the first.

The key play was a 45-yard pass from quarterback Boo Jackson to running back Tommy Hayes, that gave the Braves a first-and-ten at the Warriors 14.

Three plays later, fullback Jakob Sims blasted through the Warriors' defense for a 12-yard score. Brice Fabing's PAT tied it at 7-7.

The Warriors struck back immediately.

They marched 58-yards in eight plays on their next drive - capped by a 46-yard Dally to Malangko touchdown pass - a perfect strike that Malangko caught in stride about five-yards deep into the endzone. Chavez's kick was good and Righetti was up 14-7 - the final score of the first half.

The Warriors started fast in the second half - mounting a 10-play, 66-yard scoring drive, capped by a 10-yard pass from Dally to Tyler Hogan.

Chavez's kick was again good and Righetti was up 21-7.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Braves Sam Ruiz hauled in a punt at the Righetti 45 and was off to the races. Ruiz broke a tackle at the 30-yard line and from there raced untouched into the endzone. With the PAT, the Braves were just seven-points down with 10:24 left in the game.

The Righetti defense stepped up - twice stopping Lompoc drives on fourth down plays.

With 3:41 left on the clock Lompoc got the ball and one final shot.

On first-and-ten from their own 47, Jackson lofted a perfect strike to Sam Ruiz, who hauled it in, despite Lino Esparza's excellent coverage, at the Righetti four.

Three plays later, Sims pounded the ball in for the touchdown the cores stood at 22-20 Righetti.

Lompoc coach Robin Lukens called for a two-point conversion attempt.

Jackson threw a strike to Devaux for the two-point play, giving the Braves the 22-21 win.

"We played real well, the whole team played real well," said Righetti coach Gary Wilson. "It's just the little mistakes, the little mistakes, that's all it is."

Santa Maria 32, Banning 6

BANNING - Gilbert Arguijo scored on runs of five, two and eight yards as the Saints (1-1) rolled to a road win.

Arguijo's first touchdown, from five yards out, came about five minutes into the game. The Broncos (0-3) fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Saints recovered at the Banning 28 and then Arguijo scored from the 2.

Nolan Snowden connected with Angelo Harmon for the two-point conversion. The Saints were ahead 20-0 later in the first quarter after Arguijo scored his third touchdown.

Willie Smith finished off a 90-yard Banning drive by sprinting 48 yards for a touchdown.

However, the Saints fattened what had been a 20-6 halftime lead on a 25-yard Ernesto Velasco field goal; a safety which occurred when Ricardo Arias tackled a Banning ball carrier in the end zone; Snowden's 20-yard run and Velasco's extra point.

Pacifica 16, Nipomo 12

NIPOMO - The Nipomo Titans played their first ever varsity game at newly christened Titan Stadium by dominating Pacifica in the first half as they accumulated 234 yards of total offense, and went to the locker room with a 12-3 lead.

The second half, however, was an entirely different story, for the Titans' offense struggled to move the ball.

Nipomo opened the contest in spectacular fashion, as Justin Robertson took the ball on the first play from scrimmage and ran 77 yards for a score.

After Robertson, who ran for 134 yards total in the first half, put the Titans on the board in the first quarter, Nipomo put together another sustained drive in the second to go on top 12-3 when Thomas Delay swept into the end zone for the score.

Pacifica, which had little success moving the ball in the first half, changed from David Escobar at quarterback to Ryan Reid, and its offense was able to liven up enough to put together a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive culminating in a 19-yard touchdown run by Shawnte Davis following an option pitch by Reid.

Arroyo Grande 33, Hanford 20

HANFORD - Kyle Pollock threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Eagles to a non-league victory over the Bullpups.

Andrew Hirsch ran for 86 yards in the victory while Walter DeAngelo had four catches for 81 yards and a first-quarter touchdown.

Pollock was 8-for-14 passing with no interceptions.

Robbie Rold ran for 81 yards and three touchdowns in the loss for Hanford.

SLO 33, Oxnard 14

OXNARD - Phil Garza rushed for 192 yards on 15 carries and scored one touchdown in the Tigers' non-league victory over the Yellowjackets.

Quentin Cate was 8-for-15 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns in the victory for the Tigers, with Brian Clark hauling in six catches for 162 yards. Sean Stapleton caught Cate's other two passes, both resulting in second-half touchdowns.

Cabrillo 42, Bishop Diego 8

VANDENBERG VILLAGE - Lydell Sargeant racked up 176 yards on 17 carries as the Conquistadores (2-0) routed the Cardinals (1-1).

Sargeant scored on a 5-yard run, then caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sean McGinty.

Vai Taua amassed 93 yards on just 11 carries for Cabrillo. He scored on runs of 38 and 11 yards. The Conquistadores rushed 47 times, for 381 yards.

Morro Bay 52, Greenfield 0

GREENFIELD - Cory Stollmeyer rushed for 128 yards and two rushing touchdowns in leading the Pirates to a non-league victory over the Bruins.

Steve Dover added 70 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, adding a 42-yard touchdown catch from Robert Ellithorpe to his haul.

Stollmeyer also caught a touchdown pass from Ellithorpe, this one a 16-yarder in the second quarter.

Sportswriters Dane Boysen and Kenny Cress contributed to this report.

Sept. 18, 2004