Atascadero quarterback Gunnar Jespersen passed for 201 yards and found his receivers for some big plays in the final minutes of the game Friday to give the Greyhounds a 24-17 edge over Arroyo Grande in both team's PAC-7 League opener Friday at Doug Hitchen Stadium.

“Arroyo Grande came to play and they were at full force,” said Atascadero coach Vic Cooper. “I'm just happy to get out of here with a “W”.

With the Greyhounds (1-0 PAC-7, 5-1) and Eagles (0-1, 1-3-1) tied at 10-10 in the fourth quarter, both teams would find themselves in a battle with each other and the clock. A battle that the Eagles lost.

“This was a championship football game,” said Eagles' coach Jon Huss. “I'm very proud of our kids. With their effort they proved that they can play with the highest quality competition. Unfortunately it didn't go our way.”

The Eagles appeared to have the deck stacked against them with 9:45 remaining in the game when they were forced to take the ball from their own 1-yard line after a Greyhound punt.

But Matt Lynch put his head down and ran 13 yards for a 1st down. Then after penalties moved the ball back and fourth, quarterback Danny Pedrini found Drew Wendler for a 29 yard gain.

That set up Reade Lobdill's 42-yard run up the middle to give the Eagles a 17-10 lead. Lobdill led the Eagles with 103 yards on 7 carries. Lynch had 10 carries for 47 yards.

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After Chris Nichols' kick the Eagles had 7:26 remaining in the game to keep their lead.

But that proved to be too much time to give to the Greyhounds.

Atascadero took the ball from their own 20 after a touchback. A 40-yard pass to Eric Rasmussenn from Jespersen got the Hounds into scoring position. A few plays later, on 3rd and 11, Jespersen pitched to Brandon Roberts and he found Rasmussenn for a 15-yard pass to get to the 6 yard line.

Jespersen then found Matt Poulin all alone in the right corner of the endzone for an 8-yard touchdown and Atascadero tied it up on the extra point kick at 17-17 with three minutes remaining.

The Eagles couldn't make any headway on their next possession and had to punt from their own 17.

“We can't put our defense right back on the field like that,” Huss said of his team's stall.

Then Atascadero went to work, Jespersen found Rasmussenn for a 25 yard pass to move the ball from his 40 yard line and set up solid field position. Forrest Ingram took the winning touchdown nine yards up the middle and the extra point kick was good to seal the win.

“At halftime we were sweating a little,” said Ingram. “But once we got the ball back we knew we could score. It's a pretty big confidence booster for our team.”

The first half of the game was just a good old fashion tug of war.

Reade Lobdill scored the first touchdown for the Eagles with a 31 yard run up the middle. Nichols' kick was good for a 7-0 lead.

The Greyhounds' Brandon Roberts ran two yards up the middle with 2:09 left in the quarter to tie it up at 7-7. His run was set up by a 30 yard pass from Jespersen to Troy Tidwell.

In the second quarter, the Greyhounds moved the chains from their 21 yard line to the 19 yard line on the back of a 50 yard pass reception from Jespersen to Tidwell. They then hit a 42-yard field goal that but it was called back on a penalty and they were unsuccessfull to get the first down with 4th and 15.

After the halftime break and homecoming fireworks, Michael Reynoso took the opening kick off to the Atascadero 45 yard line. And he did must of the rushing to move the ball into field goal territory where Jake West kicked a 31-yard field goal to put his team up 10-7.

Reynoso led all rushers on the night with 131 yards on 24 carries.

Arroyo Grande got back on he scoreboard with 37 seconds left in the third quarter on Nichols 32 yard field goal to tie it up at 10-10.

Oct. 14, 2006