Gregori rallies from 9 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Pitman in CCAL thriller
The Gregori High football team has been relying on quarterback Cruz Marines to make big plays all season.
So it’s no surprise that with the Jaguars trailing by nine points midway through the fourth quarter on Friday night, they turned to Marines again.
The senior quarterback engineered an impressive comeback against Pitman at Don Lanphear Stadium, giving Gregori a thrilling 27-21 Central California Athletic League victory.
“That was a big one,” Gregori coach Lamar Wallace said. “I knew they were going to be pumped to come in here and play us. But we said ‘Hey, no one’s going to come in here and push us around,’ and that’s what we did.”
Marines scored the game-winning touchdown with a wild 20-yard run with 6 minutes left in the game — breaking through several would-be tacklers and even bouncing off a referee on his way to the end zone. The Gregori defense then held off Pitman in the closing minutes to pull off the victory.
The Jaguars’ win sets up a showdown of the CCAL’s two undefeated teams next Friday night, with Gregori (5-3, 3-0) traveling to take on Downey (7-1, 3-0) at Chuck Hughes Stadium.
Marines is electric with the ball in his hands.
He ran for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, and while he struggled passing the ball against Pitman’s defense, he completed a 7-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter.
“That quarterback is dynamite,” Pitman coach Eric Reza said of Marines.
Marines said he doesn’t mind shouldering the load of Gregori’s offense.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but at the same time, you know, my teammates help me out,” Marines said. “I just do all I can to do what I can to help the team.”
Gregori running back Jayden Miller’s 6-yard touchdown run — he finished with 55 yards on 15 carries — provided the only scoring in the third quarter.
Pitman continues to improve
The Pride came into the matchup having won two of its last three games.
Pitman features juniors at key positions on offense — at quarterback (Drew Walker), tight end (Dylan Freeman) and running back (Joey Stout).
Walker connected with Freeman for a 34-yard TD pass in the first quarter, and Stout’s 47-yard TD run in the second gave the Pride a 14-6 halftime lead.
Gregori had a chance to pull even just before halftime, but the Pitman defense held from the 2-yard line on the final play of the half.
Pitman drove the length of the field on its first possession of the second half, but Gregori’s defense stuffed the Pride on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
“We had our chances,” Reza said. “This one really, really hurts.”
Pitman plays host to Modesto next Friday night.
Gregori faces Downey in the battle for first place next Friday, then finishes the season against Turlock.
This story was originally published October 16, 2021 at 12:09 AM.