Foothill outlasts Highland in high-scoring thriller to stay unbeaten, claim control of SEYL

Oct. 16—What do you do when your hardcore running team, with over 300 rushing yards on the night, finds itself 26 yards away with 25 seconds left, needing a game-winning score?

For Foothill coach Brandon Deckard, the answer was straightforward: You pass.

On just his third attempt of the game, senior quarterback Rafael Monje lobbed the ball down the middle of the field to Tyson Reynolds, who found a hole in Highland's coverage and wound up with the game-winning touchdown. It meant redemption for Monje, who was intercepted on his first pass on a similar deep shot.

"We didn't expect to throw too much, I threw a dime to Tyson and executed," Monje said, "and that's game."

The touchdown resulted in the ninth lead change of a wild 42-35 game at Scotland Yard Friday night that gave the Trojans control of the Southeast Yosemite League.

"I told you before that the title runs through Highland High School," Deckard said. "Well now, it runs through Foothill. It's ours to win or lose, and today was a big statement. ... We got two left to hang a banner. It hasn't been done in 40 years."

Foothill now sits at 7-0, 3-0 in league play, but the path to get there was not easy, despite what its rushing stats — 11 carries for 123 yards for Kevin Sandoval, 26 carries for 120 yards for Kaelan Deloney and 15 carries for 106 yards for Reynolds, each with a touchdown — might suggest.

Highland (6-2, 1-1) found plenty of running room early and scored on an opening-drive quarterback keeper from Jojo Mata after a pass interference penalty. Two plays later, Foothill responded when Sandoval made a slick cutback to the middle on a short toss play to run it in from 46 yards out, and the Trojans added a two-point conversion.

Foothill conceded another key penalty again on the Scots' next drive to bring Highland into the red zone, and Adrian Juarez ultimately scored a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Trojans caught a break on their next drive when Reynolds appeared to be stripped on a two-yard loss but was ruled down, and four plays later Deloney, the workhorse power back, got a touchdown of his own. Foothill forced its first three-and-out, and then Reynolds got in on the act with a highlight-reel 37-yard touchdown run on which he broke several tackles, then showed good vision to pick up a key block on his way into the end zone.

Leading 22-15, Foothill had a chance to go up two scores and also receive the second half kickoff. Neither happened. On third and 23 before the half, Monje tried his first pass and was intercepted by Zephan Stevens. Then, the Trojans tried to let the short second half kickoff roll out of bounds, but the Scots pushed it back into play and recovered at Foothill's 19 before Mata threw a 15-yard touchdown to Stevens on fourth and 11. Highland took a 23-22 lead after the conversion.

"We were proud that our guys fought the way they did and at times made stops to put us in that position," Highland coach Michael Gutierrez said.

But Highland's defense didn't put up much more of a fight. Foothill responded with a 13-play, 64-yard drive, and Monje converted a quarterback sneak for the score.

"We were definitely very inconsistent," Gutierrez said. "Foothill did a great job of consistently just executing their plays, and they got us."

Trailing 28-23, Highland kicked its own run game into gear. Juarez had five carries for 30 yards on one drive before Mata faked it to him on a read option and ran for a touchdown of his own. But despite a fumbled snap on the next drive, Foothill responded quickly thanks to some swift outside running from Sandoval and Reynolds to make it 34-29.

Then, finally, the Trojans held firm. The Scots had an unfortunate four-play sequence from Foothill's 45: Mata missed an open Manny Veleta deep, lost a yard on a run, Jacob Urrea got the yard back and then Mata was strip-sacked on fourth down with just a few minutes left in the game.

By all rights Foothill should have run out the clock. But Reynolds lost seven yards on an ill-conceived trap play, and on fourth and 8 from the 50, Deckard called for a fake punt, a pop pass from Deloney to Reynolds that lost three yards. Highland scored on a 47-yard run from Juarez on the very next play.

So the run-heavy Trojans, trailing 35-34, would need a game-winning drive, taking over with 3:23 left, little ability to manage the clock and no intention of kicking a field goal. After a third-down conversion by Deloney they found themselves at the 26 with 25 seconds left.

"I said, 'All right, Monje, you got it, it's on you, it's your senior year,'" Deckard said. "We spread it out, he threw a perfect pass, and you can't ask for anything else."

Even then the Scots had one more chance. Mata had a crafty kick return to Foothill's 49 and the Trojans committed a personal foul at the end of the play. With nine seconds left, Mata completed a short pass to Veleta for six yards. But his shot to the end zone as time expired was intercepted by Elias Trevino to seal the deal.

Highland will seek redemption at South on Friday. A historic season draws ever closer for Foothill as they host East that same night.

"Don't quit, don't quit," Deckard said. "We got two more to go. We can't let go."

Reporter Henry Greenstein can be reached at 661-395-7374. Follow him on Twitter: @HenryGreenstein.