MISSION VIEJO – The general consensus diagnosed JSerra’s playoff hopes as dead and gone.
But the boisterous bunch of Lions proved they still have plenty of life left Friday night, even when it meant going toe-to-toe with Orange County’s finest.
Ninth-ranked JSerra mounted an epic fourth-quarter turnaround to upset top-ranked Mater Dei, 35-28, in a Trinity League showdown at Saddleback College.
“It feels amazing,” Lions running back Avery Williams said. “We’ve had two fourth-quarter losses in the Trinity League, it just feels great to push one out and finish. Our season was on the line, and everybody stepped up today.”
The victory gives JSerra’s playoff hopes new life. The Lions defeated Mater Dei, 17-10, last season – the only other time JSerra had defeated the Monarchs. Mater Dei’s only other loss this season was to St. John Bosco, 42-21, on Oct. 16.
Williams accumulated 128 total yards (56 rushing, 72 receiving) and three touchdowns for the Lions (6-3, 1-3). His biggest score came with 2:30 remaining when quarterback Matthew Robinson (194 total yards) connected with the shifty running back on a wheel route down the left sideline on third-and-9.
Williams ran untouched into the end zone to give JSerra a 35-21 lead.
But Mater Dei (7-2, 2-2) wouldn’t give up. Eight plays later, freshman quarterback JT Daniels connected with Andre Collins on a long, arching pass for a 22-yard score, cutting the deficit to seven.
On the ensuing onside-kick attempt, it appeared Mater Dei had recovered inside JSerra territory. However, the officials ruled that a Monarchs special teams player had touched the ball at the Mater Dei 49, negating the recovery.
“He said that we touched the ball on the 49-yard line, which we have nine million iPads on the sideline (showing) the ball was past the 10-yard mark,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said.
“But that’s not what the game came down to. I take full blame for this, and I give JSerra all the credit.”
Mater Dei led 14-7 at the half on the heels of Faavae Faavae’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown on JSerra’s opening drive.
But the offense had trouble moving the ball most of the night. Daniels was sacked five times, and JSerra’s swarming defense held the Monarchs to just 65 total yards in the first two quarters.
JSerra tied the game at 14 when Williams’ 1-yard scoring run capped a nearly eight minute third-quarter drive. However, the Monarchs quickly answered with Brandon LaMarche’s 2-yard TD run with 10:42 left.
The Lions then went on to score 21 unanswered points, highlighted by Riley O’Brien’s blocked punt in the endzone, which was recovered for a touchdown by his brother Conor O’ Brien with 4:34 left. The recovery gave the Lions their first lead at 28-21.
JSerra will play Orange Lutheran next week in the season finale.
