Vai Taua rushed for 225 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Cabrillo Conquistadores came from behind with 1:47 to play to stop Taft 24-20 Friday night at Huyck Stadium in Lompoc.

The Conqs led almost throughout, but Taft's superior size began to tell in the second half as it scored two TDs and held Cabrillo scoreless to take a 20-17 lead with 3:02 left.

But on the first play from scrimmage at Cabrillo's 14 yard line, Taua went over right tackle, cut back and ran the right sideline all the way to the Taft 17 where he was hauled down from behind by Erik Zimmerli.

"If he hadn't had 200 yards rushing he would have taken it in," cheered an ebullient coach Don Cross afterward.

Taua did take it in three plays later from the five-yard line.

Taft was not finished however. They drove to the Cabrillo 36 with 55 seconds to play and quarterback Elijah Leclair lofted a pass near the goal line intended for James Hiracheta but it was short and intercepted by Troy Deleissegues.

"I think you'll see on the tape that Josh Sanders hit him just as he released the ball," said Cross. "That may have contributed to why it was short."

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Cabrillo took the early lead on a 12-play 74-yard march, all on the ground with quarterback C.J. Simmons, the second signal caller of the evening for Cabrillo, scoring from the 10.

Taft responded with a 16-yard TD run by Ben Estill to cut the lead to 7-6, but Cabrillo reasserted itself when two plays later Taua romped 59 yards down the same right sideline to score. A Casey Belluz field goal with three seconds left in the half made the score 17-6.

Three plays after intermission Estill, a fullback, zoomed 81 yards to score and narrow the gap. It was Estill then in the fourth quarter who carried on 11 of 12 plays for 66 yards as the Wildcats drove repeatedly the ball up the middle to their final score and set the stage for Taua.

"I thought we had them," said Taft coach Steve Sprague.

"But Vai sure is fast for a 200 pounder."

SLO 24, Dos Pueblos 24

GOLETA - San Luis Obispo's Ben Hansen ran a kickoff back 92 yards for a touchdown, but then Dos Pueblos caught the Tigers on a 66-yard touchdown pass and an extra point with 3:04 to play.

Stuart Hill racked up a total of 100 yards on 19 carries for the visitors. The Tigers allowed just 52 yards rushing but gave up 172 passing.

Paso Robles 38, Santa Ynez 13

PASO ROBLES - The Bearcats (1-1-0) bounced back from a 28-point loss at Lompoc last week.

This game was the Pirates' season opener.

Paso Robles grabbed an 18-0 lead in the first quarter on Stuart Sheldon's 68-yard run and 10-yard touchdown pass to J.R. Felgenhauer sandwiched around two safeties.

Santa Ynez's touchdowns came on Nathan Flores' nine-yard run and Billy Peters' 71-yard pass to Zach Steele.

Los Altos 27, Lompoc 7

HACIENDA HEIGHTS - The Conquerors, well, conquered the Braves (1-1-0) in the home team's season opener.

Los Altos led 21-0 at halftime and 27-0 after three quarters.

John Terrones scored Lompoc's lone touchdown on a rushing play.

Sports Writer Kenny Cress contributed to this story.

Sept. 10, 2005