SANTA BARBARA - Maybe it was the full moon hanging over Valley Stadium.

In a game full of odd plays, San Marcos saved the strangest for last, scoring a two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the game to salvage a 21-21 tie with Arroyo Grande.

The Eagles had apparently nailed their second win of the season when they scored with 1:39 seconds remaining, giving Arroyo Grande an 8-point lead at 21-13, generally an insurmountable lead in high school football.

But the Royals mounted a drive, capitalizing on a a short kickoff, a fumble recovery for a gain, and a couple of untimely Eagles penalties, to score with 40 seconds left on the clock. Justin Freres, the San Marcos quarterback then went into the end zone virtually untouched for the two points -- and a heartbreaking tie for Arroyo Grande.

The Eagles are now 1-2-1 in their non league season while the Royals are 0-4-1.

In the scoreless first quarter, Arroyo Grande mounted a drive, only to lose the ball on a fumble at the San Marcos 17.

The Royals got on the scoreboard first, when Shawne Adame blocked an Eagles punt in the end zone. Michael Hodson's kick made it 7-0.

Advertisement

Arroyo Grande matched that with 49 seconds remaining in the first half, when quarterback Danny Pedrini lofted a 4th down 22-yard pass to James Tringham who got behind the receiver in the end zone. Chris Nichols' kick tied the score at 7-7.

Following an 11-play Eagles drive, entirely on the ground, Reade Lobdill's 2-yard run and Nichols' kick put Arroyo Grande up 14-7.

San Marcos quickly responded on a 55-yard pass play from Freres to Tysen Prowell, who caught the ball at the Eagles' 40 and outran the defenders. But the kick failed and it was 14-13.

After San Marcos surprised the Eagles with an onside kick, they marked downfield, but a 35 yard field goal try, with 2:16 left in the game, was wide left.

Two players later, with the Eagles on their own 17, Kenny Chanaiwa broke through the field and ran down the right sideline for 82 yards, before he was hauled down at the one-yard line. Matt Lynch went in for the touchdown and Nichols' kick made it 21-13.

Starting at their own 35 yard line, the Royals got a break when the runner fumbled and an alert Joe Mitchum picked up the loose ball and advanced it to the Arroyo Grande 49. Freres then hit Max Flattery with an 18-yard pickup. After Freres picked up 9 yards, penalties took the ball to the Eagles 2, from which Mitchum scored, making it 21-19 as the clock ticked down to 40 seconds. Then came Freres' heroics that sent the hometown crowd happy and the Eagles on a disappointing bus ride home.

Pedrini tried two incomplete passes into the stiff north wind that blew most of the game, but time ran out near midfield.

Arroyo Grande had the better of it on the ground, picking up 267 yards to the Royals' 122. Freres, who was a questionable starter, had the better of it in the air with 109 yards.

Templeton 21, Morro Bay 18

One week after suffering a painful loss at home, the Eagles (1-1, 4-1-0) scored a sweet win on the road in a Los Padres League game.

Ben Terry kicked two 27-yard field goals, Jimmy McCaffrey scored on 1 and 2-yard runs, and then Templeton held off the Pirates (1-1, 3-2-0).

After Terry's second field goal put the Eagles ahead 21-10 in the fourth quarter, Morro Bay quarterback Logan Budd went in from a yard out and then completed a two-point conversion pass to Manuel Lujan. That, however, was it for the scoring.

The Eagles went home happy after seeing a 12-point fourth quarter lead go by the boards in a 30-27 loss to Santa Ynez last week. That game was Templeton's inaugural one in the LPL.

Templeton contained area rushing leader Kevin Scott. Scott, who ran for 303 yards against Santa Maria a week ago, gained just 60 on 17 carries Friday night.

SLO 35, Nordhoff 22

OJAI - The Tigers (4-1-0) rallied from an early 9-0 deficit to win their final non-league game this year. The Rangers dropped to 1-4-0.

Area passing leader Conner Reese threw three touchdown passes for San Luis Obispo, and area receiving yardage leader Kevin Martin had one of them. Reese hooked up with him on a 54-yard scoring strike.

Reese threw for 196 yards. He is over the 1,000-yards passing mark for the year, at 1,079.

Martin returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown.

Volleyball

NCC 3, VCA 2

Valley Christian dropped to 0-2 in Coast Valley League play with a five-game road loss to North County Christian, losing 25-21, 13-25, 25-21, 12-25, 15-11.

Becky Bambach led Valley Christian with seven kills, while Krista Hall added six kills in the loss.

The Lions will return home in CVL action by hosting Maricopa at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Oct. 7, 2006