The Paso Robles Bearcats got out to a quick start in their YFL Super Bowl football game against the Lompoc Panthers, but it was the Lompoc defense that finished strong.

After surrendering 20 points in the first quarter, Lompoc (11-0) clamped down and defeated Paso Robles 26-20 in the Junior Division championship game at Huyck Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bailey Gaither gave the Bearcats (9-2) a quick lead with a 53-yard touchdown run at 6:45 in the first quarter. The Panthers answered back, scoring just two minutes later on a 2-yard run by Chris Taitague.

Then Paso turned up the heat. Quarterback Tyler Huffman hit Scott Rigdon for a 52-yard touchdown pass and Ty Jones caught a 30-yard TD pass from Huffman, which gave the Bearcats a 20-8 lead after just one quarter.

“I don’t think we realized how fast a couple of their kids were when they got outside on us,” said Lompoc coach Frank Taitague. “I don’t think they were ready for it.”

Lompoc found itself back in the game when Austin Hayes scored on an 18-yard run with 3:34 remaining in the half.

In the second half, it was the Panthers defense that set the tone and took over the game.

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“At half-time we made the necessary adjustments,” Taitague explained. “And from there I think just our heart and our will overcame their speed.”

Paso Robles had 95 yards rushing and 88 yards passing in the first half. After the break it was only able to get 65 yards on the ground and six in the air.

“I don’t think they saw that zone coverage that we put in there,” said Coach Taitague. “I have a feeling that’s the first time they’ve seen it all year — and I think it threw them for a loop.”

Lompoc was unable to move the ball very well either in the second half, but took advantage of a big turnover. With 2:07 in the third quarter, Matt Hamon stripped the ball out of the quarterback’s hands at the Paso Robles 4-yard line and Chris Taitague scored on the first play after that. With a two-point kick by Estaban Sandoval, Lompoc took a 24 -20 lead.

Early in the fourth, Creighton Morales and Trevor Gioiene caught the Paso QB in the end zone for a safety. The defense then had to make a stand twice more. The Bearcats drove to the Lompoc 25, but on a fourth-and-six they could not complete the pass. Then with one second remaining on the clock, Torey Sims intercepted a pass for Lompoc after Paso drove to the 25 once more.

“I can’t say enough about our kids,” Coach Taitague said. “We didn’t really come out here and blow anyone away this season. Every game we were in a battle.

“I think as a unit this team really grew up. When we got them in August, a lot of them were new to the game. It took a lot of hard work on their part to get where they are — overall it was a very satisfying season.”

Senior Division

SLO Tigers 30, Orcutt Outlawz 8

In a full day of football that featured big plays, San Luis Obispo started huge. With 5:47 in the first quarter Tyler Baty hit Trevor Fernandez for a long pass. Fernandez broke free and raced into the end zone for an 83 yard touchdown.

With five seconds left in the second quarter, Orcutt tied the game at 8-all when Luke Wilson caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Troy Prober and Prober followed with a two-point kick. After that it was all Tigers.

San Luis capitalized on several Orcutt mistakes. In the third quarter a bad punt off of a bad snap was returned by Domeric Fountain to the Orcutt 24 and five plays later the QB Tyler Baty scored on a quarterback sneak.

An Orcutt pass interference penalty set up a 32-yard pass and run from Baty to Joey Hall. And a pass interception by Trevor Fernandez for the Tigers at the Orcutt 22, set up the final touchdown, a six-yard run by Jake Beavers.

Neither team was able to move the ball on the ground with any consistency. Orcutt gained just 77 yards on the ground, while San Luis did not fare much better with 89.

Big plays in the air helped Baty and the Tigers. Baty was 7 of 16 in the air for 184 yards. On the other side Prober was 7-of-23 with two interceptions.

“They got us in the air,” said Orcutt coach Hector Griego. “I don’t think we were really prepared for that.”

And falling behind in big games like the Super Bowl, is a tough thing to overcome.

“We started gambling and started taking risks,” Griego explained. “I think we try as hard as we can to mold a football player and get that structure that we think we have, but in the end of it all — they are still kids and sometimes that pressure gets to them.”

But the Outlawz have strived on pressure just to reach the championship game.

“At the beginning of the season we lost a couple of games,” Griego said. “But they turned it around and fought. We were seventh in the standings to get here, so they worked hard just to get here. It’s a great bunch of kids.”

Bantam Division

Five Cities Eagles 20, Paso Cats 0

Jeremiah Wright scored on the first play from scrimmage, then was held quiet by the Paso defense until late in the game.

With 3:54 remaining in the game and the Eagles holding down a 7-0 lead, Wright exploded for a 71-yard touchdown run and added insurance with a 27-yard TD at 2:27.

The Eagles recorded their ninth shutout of the season to end at 11-0. Wright finished with 200 yards.

“Mr. Wright — every year he rushes for over 2,500 yards and we can’t even count the touchdowns,” Five Cities coach Mike Stephenson said.

About his defense Stephenson said, “It took blood, sweat and tears — just ask anyone — defense wins ballgames.

Intermediate Division

Five Cities Eagles 27, Templeton Eagles 0

Scotty Cusack returned a punt 38 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Five Cities never looked back.

A swarming defense kept Templeton out of scoring position all game long.

Matthew Willkomm threw three touchdown passes, two in the second quarter. The first was a seven yard toss to Patrick Laird at 6:18, then with nine seconds remaining in the half, he hit Christian Allen from 12 yards out.

The final score came in the fourth quarter when Carson Wack took a short pass from Willkomm and ran in from the 11 yard line.

One highlight for Templeton was when Chris Romero blocked two extra point attempts.

November 23, 2008