By no means cease preventing.
That was the Ventura soccer workforce’s mindset Friday night time at Fullerton Excessive.
The Cougars drove 99 yards in eight performs and scored on a 12-yard move from Derek Garcia to Tristan Phillips on fourth and objective to tug inside a landing with 2:40 left, however San Francisco St. Ignatius School Prep recovered the following onside kick and gained a primary right down to run out the clock and hold on for a 42-35 victory within the CIF state Division 3-AA bowl sport.
“You are true competitors,” Derek’s father and head coach Tim Garcia advised his dejected gamers minutes later. “We fought, kept fighting, just came up a little short, but let’s not forget what you guys accomplished. You won the Channel League, you won CIF, you won regionals and are state runner-up.”
Ventura defenders Nathan Radwich and Tristan Phillips sort out San Francisco St. Ignatius School Prep receiver Ty Hicks within the first half Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Garcia, who’s headed for Nevada Las Vegas, entered the sport having thrown for 3,369 yards, 36 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He added to that spectacular whole by finishing 15 of 26 passes for 208 yards and two scores.
James Watson had 10 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns and Western Colorado-bound receiver Jack Cunningham, who entered with a Ventura Nation document 116 catches for two,041 yards and 26 touchdowns, had seven catches for 67 yards.
St. Ignatius (9-6) completed the season on a seven-game profitable streak thanks largely to senior quarterback Caedon Afsharipour, who threw a landing move and ran for the profitable rating.
The Cougars (13-3) had their 10-game profitable streak snapped. The lead modified palms 5 instances within the first half.
Ventura quarterback Derek Garcia passes towards St. Ignatius School Prep on Friday night time.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
James Watson scored on runs of 13 and 31 yards on consecutive drives to offer Ventura its first lead, 14-7, with 2:33 left within the first quarter.
Steve Malone broke free for a 44-yard landing on the primary play of the second quarter and scored on a 27-yard run to place the Wildcats up 20-14, however the additional level was blocked.
Tristan Savage’s one-yard run capped an eight-play, 69-yard drive that put Ventura again on high, 21-20, however St. Ignatius answered on a 61-yard landing run by Luke Tribolet and a two-point move from Afsharipour to Hawkes Packard to take a 28-21 lead into halftime.
Packard caught a 65-yard landing move to increase the North area winners’ result in 35-21 on the primary play of the second half.
Garcia hit Cunningham in stride for a 31-yard landing to tug the Cougars inside 35-28 on the 3:49 mark of the third quarter. Nonetheless, Afsharipour’s 27-yard landing scamper pushed the Wildcats’ lead again to 2 scores early within the fourth quarter.
“We’ve done it before a couple times this season … we’ve battled back and come out on top,” Derek Garcia stated as actuality set in that his highschool profession was over. “I tried to stay in the present. I’m done being a Ventura Cougar, but now I look forward to the next chapter.”
