Lions need OT to earn comeback victory

WESTMINSTER- The Westminster football team dug itself into a hole in the first half of its CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division first round playoff game on Friday night at Westminster High.

The Lions needed the entire second half and a little bit of overtime to defeat visiting El Rancho of Pico Rivera, 21-14.

Westminster (8-3) rebounded from four turnovers in the second quarter and a 14-point deficit to score 21 consecutive points, capped by Alex Gomez's 1-yard dive on the Lions' sixth play in overtime.

"The kids showed a lot of heart," said Westminster coach Ted McMillen. "We made the big play when we needed it and stepped up in overtime."

Gomez was the beneficiary of the Steven Marquez's heavy-load rushing.

Marquez rushed for 85 of his 128 yards in the second half and overtime, with Gomez scoring on a pair of 1-yard runs. Gomez's first touchdown with 5:25 left in the third quarter put Westminster on the scoreboard.

The Lions couldn't score from the 2 with 6:16 left in the game, when Marquez was stopped on fourth-and-goal.

"We had a couple of guys mishear the play in the huddle," McMillen said.

The Lions forced El Rancho (5-6) to punt on the ensuing possession and got the ball back with little over two minutes left in regulation.

On third-and-17, Lions quarterback Juan Ortiz hit Aaron Garbutt on a swing pass and Garbutt went 54 yards for the score with 1:10 left in regulation.

Westminster got the ball first in overtime and got the go-ahead score on Gomez's touchdown run. The Lions defense baited the El Rancho offense into a false start on its first play. Defensive pressure and good pass coverage by Westminster produced four incomplete passes.

Ortiz passed for 180 yards on 6-of-10 passing. Garbutt had four catches for 145 yards.

McMillen said he wasn't happy with the turnovers.

"We've turned the ball over a lot this year," McMillen said. "It came back to haunt us, but we overcame it."

Contact the writer: efields@ocregister.com