LA HABRA – Madison Wheeler’s 9-yard touchdown run propelled La Habra to a 42-36 double-overtime victory over Colony of Ontario Friday night at La Habra High.
After both teams failed to score in the first overtime, Isaiah Alcocer intercepted a Titans pass in the end zone to foil Colony’s first drive of the second OT.
Wheeler then took a handoff and blasted up the middle, breaking several tackles for the winner.
The Highlanders, after losing three consecutive games for the first time in four years, improved to 2-3. Colony dropped to 3-2.
Trailing 16-7 at halftime, La Habra scored three touchdowns in the third quarter and built a 28-16 lead.
Wheeler opened the third quarter at quarterback and scored on the third play on a 44-yard TD run to cut the Titans’ lead to 16-14. Moments later, Prince Ross scored on a 15-yard run, giving La Habra a 21-16 lead.
With 4:06 left in the quarter, Derrick Corso took a pitch and raced 72 yards for a TD to increase the Highlanders’ lead to 28-16.
Colony quarterback Joseph Tesimale tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Michael Ezeike late in the quarter to cut the lead to 28-22.
The Titans recaptured the lead after Nathan Tilford scored on a 9-yard touchdown run. Tesimale then completed the 2-point conversion to Ezeike giving the Titans 30-28 lead with 10:48 to play.
La Habra countered with a 60-yard TD pass from Zach Fogel to Ross. Wheeler then ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 36-36 with 5:27 to play. Ross also caught a 60-yard TD pass from Fogel in the opening quarter.
Tesimale led the Titans with 265 yards passing and Tilford rushed for 148 yards.
TOM CONNOLLY, Contributing writer
