Aptos quarterback Curtis Worden lofted a ball toward the end zone for Robert Rodriguez in the fourth quarter Friday. Rodriguez made a lunging catch.

The question looming was, was Rodriguez inbounds or not?

Officials conferred for a bit, then made their decision. He was in. Thus, Worden's 11-yarder to Rodriguez with 2:48 left stood as the winning touchdown at Arroyo Grande as the Mariners rallied past the Eagles, 21-14, in a non-league season opener.

The Mariners spoiled Tom Goosen's head coaching debut. Goosen, a long-time assistant to Jon Huss, took over the head job after Huss stepped down following the Eagles' final game last season.

The Worden-to-Rodriguez touchdown connection made it 19-14. The two hooked up again on the two-point conversion pass. Worden hit Rodriguez on a 26-yard fade pattern in the end zone in the second quarter to help the Mariners to a 7-7 tie at halftime.

Bo Cabalar opened Arroyo Grande's scoring for the season. Quarterback Clark Goosen, Tom Goosen's son, suckered the Aptos defense with a fake, and Cabalar sprinted down the left sideline for a 24-yard scoring run.

The last touchdown was big all right, Aptos coach Johnny Lopez said. He added that the hook-and-ladder play that set it up was big too. Worden hit Rodriguez on a 19-yard pass, then Rodriguez lateraled to Aaron Williams who broke a tackle and gained 14 more yards to Arroyo Grande's 21.

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“We practiced against that play,” Arroyo Grande coach Tom Goosen said. “They were able to catch us on it anyway.

Both coaches, however, said what most football coaches say after most football games - that this one was won in the trenches.

“They beat us up front on both sides of the ball,” Goosen said. “That's a very good football team. They're very well-coached.”

“Our line really stepped up on both sides,” Lopez concurred. “Kevin Farmer, our center, was really opening up holes,” on Aptos' two late second half touchdown drives. The Mariners outscored the Eagles 14-0 in the fourth quarter.

Aptos' two big drives featured an impressive run-pass mix with a good offensive line surge as the Mariners finally capitalized on their size advantage up front.

“Father Ron Shirley, our offensive coordinator, put together very good play calling tonight,” said Lopez.

The Eagles' last play typified how Aptos' defense played most of the night. Linebackers Greg Lodge and Dana Ensminger stopped Kyle Reinhardt for no gain on a fourth-down swing pass.

Save Cabalar's score and a 43-yard off-tackle burst by Andrew Reza in the third quarter that put the Eagles ahead 13-7, Arroyo Grande didn't have many offensive highlights.

“Joe Sutter (6-0, 230 pounds) and Eddie Gonzalez (6-1, 307) did a good job of plugging things up inside,” said Lopez. “What really stood out, though, was the job our linebackers did - Greg Lodge and Dana Emsinger.”

Other than the two touchdown plays, the Eagles had 176 yards of total offense. Linebackers Kenny Sugishita and Drew Wendler, and lineman Kevin Lewis led the surge as Arroyo Grande's defense checked Aptos' attack most of the game.

With their late punch, though, the Mariners wound up with 312 yards of total offense. Williams rushed for 86 yards. Emslinger ran for 81.

Arroyo Grande started out well. Clark Goosen hit Trevor Salas for 38 yards to the Aptos 23 on the first drive of the game. The drive stalled at the Mariners 10. Worden picked off Goosen's fourth-down pass at the three.

The Eagles gained momentum after Justin Morrow and Michael Madrigal opened a huge hole for Reza in the third quarter. Reza burst through it for the go-ahead touchdown.

However, the Mariners blocked a 21-yard field goal try shortly thereafter. Wendler temporarily preserved the Eagles' lead when he blocked the extra-point kick after Worden's one-yard run pulled Aptos within 14-13.

Worden grabbed his fumbled snap out of the air and scored behind Farmer with 7:19 to play.

“I think it was a combination,” of a good Aptos line surge and the Mariners' size up front wearing the Eagles down, Tom Goosen said of Aptos' big last two drives.

“Arroyo Grande is a very good team and very well-coached,” said Lopez. ”We knew we would be in a dogfight tonight.”

Shirley said, “Our offensive line did very well. Arroyo Grande is a fine team. We're very happy to come out of here with a win.“

Aptos won it with 29 guys. Arroyo Grande's roster has 59. “We've been to the (Central Coast Section) playoffs the last six years,” Lopez said. “We had fewer returnees this year than usual.”

“Our boys played very hard tonight,” said Tom Goosen. “They came up a little short. We'll get better and go again next week.”

The Eagles play another non-leaguer, at Pioneer Valley, at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.

September 1, 2007