Granite Hills wins 31-24 overtime thriller over San Ramon Valley for CIF 2-A title
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — Isaiah Jackson scored his second touchdown, a 2-yard keeper out of the wildcat, and then the Granite Hills defense held to finish off a thrilling 31-24 CIF Division 2-A championship overtime win over San Ramon Valley-Danville Saturday at Saddleback College.
In the first overtime period that started at the 25, Jackson went over the right side to give the Eagles (13-2) the 31-24 lead, the fourth lead change after intermission.
The Wolves (12-3) got one first down, but a fourth-down pass by Luke Baker fell incomplete, setting off a wild celebration by Granite Hills.
The stop was fitting because Eagles' defense has come up huge all season, with 40 sacks and 27 interceptions coming in.
"It felt amazing," said Granite Hills linebacker Tyler Bertalan. "We're in the field, the weight room, in the class room five, six days a week getting it done. Always hustling.
It was the first state title for the Eagles, who finished with 395 total yards and managed 31 first downs.
This was also the sixth state title for a San Diego Section in two seasons at Saddleback in six tries, and the third since Friday.
"I almost screwed it up for the San Diego Section there," Granite Hills head coach Kellan Cobbs joked afterward. "The whole defensive staff, all ex-Granite Hills' graduates, did a hell of a job today. They really stepped up there at the end."
Granite Hills celebrates school's first state title and sixth by a San Diego Section school at Saddleback College in the last two seasons. Photo: Todd Shurtleff
Like they've done all season, the Eagles spread the ball around beautifully as Jackson finished with 13 carries for 92 yards and Maxwell Turner added 13 carries for 84 yards and another score. Quarterbacks Nico Tomasello and Parlan Sanders combined to complete 14 of 20 for 155 yards and a score.
"What I love about this team is that it's not just one guy," Cobbs said. "Sometimes (with other teams) it's like, 'that's the one guy you got to stop.' With us there's a bunch of different dudes on defense and a bunch of guys on offense. Football is fun that way. Gets a lot more guys involved."
Said Jackson: "We have so many fresh legs all the time. We're the three-headed monster. We're an unstoppable trio."
Cobbs, a 2005 Granite Hills graduate, is having loads of fun considering his team's were a combined 6-34 in the four years he attended the school.
"It adds a special value when guys who went to the school are giving back," Cobbs said. "Its a heck of a turnaround and the guys have bought in. They've done what we asked them to do and it's great to see that success come through."
After a rough first half, Baker, a junior with quick feet and a quick release, threw for 185 yards and two scores — both to Trevor Scott — and rushed for 42 yards and another score. He was sacked four teams.
Down 24-21 with 3:16 remaining. San Ramon Valley took over on its own 28 and behind Baker, who had three runs of 23 yards and two clutch completions, helped get the ball to the 13.
He was was sacked by Parker Vance to push to the 20.
On fourth down, Austin Shelton booted a 37-yard field goal with 14 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 24-24. Shelton kicked a 37-yarder in the rain to beat Marin Catholic-Kentfield 19-17 in the NorCal D2-A title game last week.
It was the fourth tie of the second half, which also featured three lead changes.
The Eagles dominated much of the play in the first half, but had just a 7-0 lead to show for it.
Davion Green hauled in a beautiful, lofting spiral from Sanders with 4:16 left in the half for the half's only score.
Granite Hills had earlier zipped right down the field, all the way to the San Ramon Valley 3 on a 32-yard pass from Tomasello to Colin Riley. But three plays lost four yards and a 25-yard field goal try by Robert Petrick missed.
The Eagles' defense was more dominating, limiting the high octane SRV offense to just 53 yards on 36 plays. The Wolves came in averaging 403 yards and 38 points.
Granite Hills had 185 yards on 28 first-half plays.
Like the previous two games at Saddleback, this game picked up significantly in the second half, especially for the Wolves' offense.
Baker threw the first of two touchdown passes to Scott, this one a pretty 38-yard toss, tying the game at 7-7 with 8:25 left in the third.
The Eagles came right back, going 65 yards in four plays capped with a remarkable 44-yard touchdown run by Maxwell Turner.
The 5-foot-8, 175-pound sophomore broke several tackles, seemingly stopped two or three times. That gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead with 6:33 left in the third.
Back came the Wolves, going 74 yards in six plays, capped by a 4-yard strike from Baker to Scott. A 29-yard completion to Caleb Padrid and 34-yard run by Seane Williams keyed the scoring drive that tied the game at 14-14 with 3:50 left in the third.
A 24-yard scamper by Jackson started the Eagles' next drive, that he also finished off on a 10-yard sprint into the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter. That gave Granite Hills a 21-14 lead.
Not for long.
The Wolves tied things up at 21-21 with 5:56 left on a 6-yard keeper by Baker on fourth down. He barely escaped a tackler at the 4 and sprinted home to the delight of the SRV faithful.
"He's been doing it all year," San Ramon Valley coach Aaron Becker said. "He plays best on the biggest stage."
Once again, Granite Hills responded., starting with a 42-yard scamper by Zak Darling. That set up a 38-yard field goal by Robert Petrich with 3:22 remaining.
San Ramon Valley, also making its first state title game appearance, finished with 314 yards including eight catches and 86 yards from Scott.
"I knew the boys wouldn't quit," San Ramon Valley coach Aaron Becker said. "They rallied well the second half. It was a fun experience.
All phots by Todd Shurtleff
