RSS Electronic Edition | Newsletters Subscribe | Customer Service/Contact Us | Community Buy Photos Modmomsclub

Sports

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009

Modesto's season ends in overtime

E-Mail Print reprint or license

LOS BANOS -- Both Modesto High and Los Banos had ample opportunities to seize the victory in Friday night's playoff game, so it was only a twist of fate that the decision came down to kickers.

And in overtime, when the host Tigers made their extra point after the Panthers had missed ... well, that's just the heartbreaking way some seasons end while the other team rejoices and gets to play another week.

The 27-26 Los Banos win sends the Tigers (8-3) to the second stage of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, while the Modesto Metro Conference champion Panthers finish 7-4.

"For a team that I don't think anyone thought could do anything at the start of the year, this one stepped up and believed in each other," said Modesto coach Rod Long. "They kept battling back and fighting and I couldn't be more proud of them. It's been a tremendous year for them. Even this game was fun."

Yes it was.

The Panthers jumped to an early 13-0 lead, trailed 14-13 at half and tied it on a late touchdown. And then it really got interesting.

Arquel Rogers scored with 2 minutes, 39 seconds left in regulation to pull Modesto within 20-19, and senior kicker Jesus Ontiveros drilled the conversion to tie the game.

Long said he didn't consider going for a go-ahead two-point conversion there, since ample time remained for Los Banos to drive for a game-winning score.

The strategy paid off when Andre Barry, whose acrobatic 48-yard reception from Klayton Miller accounted for the game's first score, almost won the game.

He stepped in front of a Erik Martin pass and returned it 40 yards to the Los Banos 4 with 1:58 remaining.

"I saw the quarterback step back and look at my receiver the whole way, so I just jumped it," Barry said. "I thought I had the touchdown and maybe I should have cut back, but things happen."

Yes, things did happen. James Ingram got into the end zone on the next play, but a holding call moved the ball back to the 14. Working the field and the clock and surviving two procedure penalties, Modesto moved back to the 11 and called a time out with four seconds left.

Ontiveros, kicking from the left hashmark, hit the ball straight and it missed wide left, sending the game into overtime.

"We all thought we would score from there, but we got the holding call and then we jumped offside a couple times," Long said. "We haven't had an offside in a long time. But in the big time situation we flinched a little bit."

Ingram capped a 30-carry, 153-yard rushing effort with his 10-yard skirt of right end on Modesto's only play in OT, but the conversion kick hooked left.

Los Banos also needed only one play to score, as Martin reached the end zone for the third time with a blind bootleg to the left side. Freddie Romero stepped up and sent the conversion through the middle of the uprights to give the Tigers the win.

Los Banos had an earlier opportunity to seal the win, taking a 20-13 lead with 9:03 left in the game on a Martin QB sneak. Instead of kicking the extra point for an eight-point lead, coach Dennis Stubbs went for two in an attempt to take a two-score lead.

But Darron Brown, who rumbled for 139 yards on 29 carries, was cut down at the 1 on a sweep, keeping the lead at seven points and allowing Modesto to tie the game on Rogers' score and Ontiveros' kick.

"My gut feeling was to kick it and make Modesto go for two points, but my coaches thought they had something," Stubbs said. "I let those guys coach. If it works we don't go for overtime. Now, I think I would have kicked it."

Modesto's 13-0 lead was built on Barry's early score and a 2-yard run by Ingram following a bad punt snap by Los Banos. But the Tigers came back in the second quarter on Martin's first 1-yard keeper at the end of a 66-yard march, followed by a 23-yard pass from Martin to Max Ornelas midway through the second quarter.

When neither team flinched on defense in a scoreless third quarter, it set up the heroics in the fourth quarter and beyond.

"We did well this year," Barry said through the tears. "We came together as a family and accomplished our No. 1 goal of going to the playoffs. We had a good season."

Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or 578-2300.