Orestimba outlasts Ripon Christian in epic Southern League shootout

The smiles faded from the Orestimba cheerleaders’ faces as soon as the cramps and tightness began to set in.

They performed a high kick for every point scored by the home team, which left them gassed by the fourth quarter.

Elsewhere, the smoky exhaust from all those cannon blasts settled on the track at the western edge of Roger Pauletto Memorial Field.

Just when it looked like the Orestimba and Ripon Christian offenses might score 100 points and extend their Southern League opener into Saturday, the defense finally arrived.

The Warriors (4-0, 1-0 Southern League) defended a last-ditch pass into the end zone, sealing a 49-43 shootout victory over the Knights.

Joe Sheldon threw for four touchdowns and raced down the sideline for an 85-yard score, and Austin Martins busted loose for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Warriors avenged last season’s 21-20 loss to Ripon Christian.

Think this one mattered? When Travis Zuidervaart’s pass fell incomplete in the corner of the end zone, completing a game nearly four hours in the making, the Orestimba sideline spilled onto the turf. Players and coaches bounced in celebration, a sea of purple and gold, while the beleaguered cheerleaders, standing on sore legs, shook their pompoms in applause.

“We knew they were the team to beat. We had this game circled,” said Martins, who also had two interceptions and never came off the field. “We knew if we could get this win, there would be a great chance we could go 9-0.”

Winning their first Southern League game was hard enough. Ripon Christian (3-1, 0-1) scored the first 14 points, and after falling behind by 14 in the second half, Zuidervaart put them in position to steal a road win.

The first-year quarterback led the Knights on a 17-play drive that consumed the final five minutes. Zuidervaart carried the ball four times for 19 yards, including a gutsy four-yard scramble on fourth and 3 to give Ripon Christian two shots from the 8 with six seconds left.

Zuidervaart was 14 of 30 for 209 yards and two touchdowns but watched the biggest passes of the night hit the ground. He flipped a ball over the middle to Ty Beidleman, who juggled the throw as he lurched toward the end zone.

With one second left, Zuidervaart attacked Orestimba’s new corner – transfer Brian Gallegos – with a fade toward Derek Dotinga. The ball was underthrown and the cannon sounded one last time, chasing Ripon Christian off the field.

Both teams put on an offensive showcase, combining for 832 yards, 32 first downs and 13 touchdowns.

Sheldon led all players with 190 rushing yards. He also had touchdown throws to Jesse Navarro, Toby Silva, Angel Reynoso and Kaleb Thompson.

Martins answered a 37-yard scoring grab by Ethan McMurray (six catches, 113 yards) in the first quarter with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He later tacked on a 67-yard scoring run, shedding tacklers as he went.

After a slow start, the Warriors attacked quickly, needing only eight plays to score 21 points in the second quarter.

“Obviously, Joe is a game-breaker. He can score on every play,” Orestimba coach Aaron Souza said. “Austin Martins got his first big run of the season. He’s been grinding and grinding and grinding, being like a hammer, but he finally popped one out of here like a rocket.

“We stayed together and believed in the big-play offense, and we got our big plays tonight.”

Ripon Christian countered with a methodical 14-play drive to close the first half. The Knights used every trick in their bag, lining up in the spread and wing-T and even completing a halfback pass for a touchdown (Dotinga to Beidleman) to send the game into the half knotted at 28.

Souza wasn’t deterred. He expected momentum to swing, but he was confident “family” would prevail. It’s become the Warriors’ battle cry in practice and before games, and the slogan that dresses their team shirts.

On Friday, Souza said it carried Orestimba to a program-defining victory. The Warriors seized control with 21 points in the third quarter and then leaned on its battered defense in the final seconds.

“We’ve been talking about family since May. There were times in this game where certain guys missed coverages or missed blocks, but guys picked each other up after every play,” Souza said. “I told them this game would be full of highs and lows.

“Travis Zuidervaart played the game of his life. It was a game of emotion ... an epic game. I told them if we get our ‘W’ here, a fire would start. I believe that what you see now, a fire has started.”

This story was originally published September 26, 2015 at 1:26 AM with the headline "Orestimba outlasts Ripon Christian in epic Southern League shootout."