HUNTINGTON BEACH – With 14 seconds left and a six-point lead, Brethren Christian faced fourth down deep in its own territory. Instead of punting, the Warriors had Joshua Gorrell kill the remaining seconds by running around in the backfield, and eventually out the back of the end zone.
“It was crazy wasn’t it?” Brethren Christian coach Pat McInally said of the intentional safety that ended the game. “I looked up and there was nine seconds left when he got to the end zone. I don’t know how he ran out nine more seconds.”
The play iced the Warriors’ 34-30 victory over Rancho Christian at Ocean View High on Friday.
Rancho Christian was sloppy from the start, turning the ball over on its first three possessions, starting with an interception in the end zone by Brent Nash Jr.
Three plays later Jordan Leonard ran 71 yards for the first of his two scores in the half. Following the Leonard touchdown, Rancho Christian again drove into Warriors territory before fumbling.
The Warriors drove the ball down to the 15 with quarterback Joey Gutierrez connecting on all five of his throws. However, Gutierrez was picked off by Jacob Estelle while trying to throw a fade to the corner of the end zone.
Rancho Christian scored on its first drive without a turnover, the first of four Jaden Schieberl touchdowns before Leonard scored again, this time from 41 yards out.
The Eagles pulled off a successful onside kick to start the half and scored six plays later, but failed on the point after try. But on the ensuing drive a Gutierrez touchdown pass maintained the Warriors lead.
Following Schieberl’s third score and a successful two-point conversion by Malosi Napoleon, the Eagles forced a fumble and drained eight minutes off the clock with a 16-play drive capped off with another Schieberl touchdown and conversion by Napoleon, tying the score at 28.
With 4:43 left, the Warriors used a 49-yard reception from Jason Fuga to set up a 9-yard touchdown on a toss sweep to Leonard. Nash’s second interception on the following drive allowed the Warriors to run the clock out.
