The party began early Friday night for the Nipomo Titans.

Even though the school's homecoming dance isn't until tonight, the celebration began as the final gun sounded on Friday's night's Los Padres League football game against the Santa Maria Saints.

The Titans edged the Saints 14-13 - Nipomo's first-ever win in LPL varsity football.

“We've been waiting for this all year,” said Nipomo running back Lucas Marsalek. “We've been so close - so close - and finally we were able to close one out.”

The Titans relied on the power of running back Bobby Heredia to punish the Saints defense.

Nipomo runs the fly offense - where a slot back goes in motion, running behind the quarterback on every play, giving the offense one more option, one more weapon with which to attack the defense.

But on Friday night, the slot back was more often a decoy.

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Quarterback Mason Sperakos gave most of the carries to rugged tailback Heredia - 30 carries, good for 146 yards and both touchdowns.

Heredia never headed for the sidelines - never tried to turn the corner - he just went straight ahead right up the middle of the field, pounding the Saints' defense with every carry.

“They just ran the ball right at us,” said Santa Maria coach Shawn Ramirez. “They just ran at us all night. Our defense stepped up. Our guys played well all night.”

Nipomo coach John Hitchen changed the offense up just enough to keep Santa Maria on its toes - from the flyback position, Marsalek had eight carries good for 24 yards and Brent Seguine picked up 43 yards on six carries.

Seguine was also in on the key play of the game - blocking Santa Maria kicker Marcos Sanchez's extra point attempt after the Saints pulled to within 14-13 late in the third quarter.

The Saints, once again, were lead by quarterback Daniel Gauna and running back Gabriel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez picking up 99 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries.

Gauna ran for 72 yards on eight carries and the Saints' other score.

The Titans ran off 11 plays on the game's first possession - getting down to the Saints 11 yard line before Santa Maria's defense stiffened. Santa Maria stopped Nipomo on a fourth and one from the eleven.

The ball went over to Santa Maria on downs.

On the Saints drive, Nipomo's Emmanuel Ford came up big - picking off a Gauna pass, giving Nipomo the ball at their own 36.

Nipomo (1-3, 1-6) ran off 14 plays - 13 of them on the ground - moving 64 yards for the game's first score on the first play of the second quarter, a five yard touchdown run by Heredia.

Seguine's point after kick was good and the Titans were up 7-0.

“Both teams played a physical, physical game,” said Ramirez. “Our guys - especially the defense - responded well after Nipomo scored their first touchdown.”

Midway through the second quarter, Nipomo ran off another long, time consuming touchdown drive - this one going 66 yards, capped off with a Heredia 10 yard run.

Again Seguine's PAT kick was good - the point that turned out to be the game winner.

“We kept pounding and pounding the ball,” said Marsalek. “Bobby (Heredia) had the game of his life. He just kept running over people.”

But the Saints didn't quit.

They took the next kickoff and went on their own eight play, 66 yard touchdown drive - ending with Gauna's one yard TD run.

Marcos Sanchez's PAT cut the Titans' lead to 14-7 as the game reached halftime.

The Saints continued their comeback midway through the third quarter.

Starting deep in their own territory, Santa Maria (0-3, 1-6) mixed the run with the pass to march 87 yards down the field.

When Rodriguez crossed the goal line from the one, the Saints were within one point, at 14-13, with Sanchez and the special teams unit heading onto the field for the PAT attempt.

But Seguine found a way to get through the Saints blockers, got a hand on the ball - partially blocking Sanchez's try - and the ball sailed wide to the right.

The Saints would get one final shot at a possible game winning score - running off 10 plays, getting down to the Nipomo 31, before failing to get a first down on a fourth and 18 from the Nipomo 31.

“We had plenty of time to get it into the endzone but that sack at the end of the drive killed us,” said Ramirez.

There was just 3:19 remaining in the game.

Nipomo took care of the clock, running 10 plays - getting as far as the Saints 29 - before time ran out on Santa Maria.

“Congratulations to John (Hitchen) and his guys,” said Ramirez. “They earned it. They deserved it. The Titans should get all the credit.”

“This is our biggest win ever. It's the first league win for our varsity football program,” said Marsalek. “It won't be the last.”

At halftime, the Titans crowned their homecoming queen and king.

Danielle Moran was selected as the school's homecoming queen. She will be escorted to tonight's homecoming dance by homecoming king, Spencer Casement.

Nipomo heads to Cabrillo next Friday night. Santa Maria hosts Morro Bay.

Oct. 22, 2005