EUREKA—Gavilan was 40 seconds away from ending the season with a ‘W’ in Eureka, but the College of the Redwoods squad had other plans. With just three seconds left, the Corsairs’ John Tanner Westby kicked a 40-yard field goal to tie the game at 35-all and send it into overtime.
Sterling Montgomery hit Jose Manzo for a 12-yard touchdown to take a 42-35 lead to open OT, but Redwoods answered with a TD of its own and executed the 2-point conversion to win 43-42 Saturday in the regular season finale.
The Rams were on fire in the first half, garnering a 32-14 lead thanks to four unanswered scoring drives.
Trailing 14-13, Gavilan covered 57 yards in 10 plays to start the second quarter but had to settle for a field goal. Pat McQueen nailed the 27-yard attempt and the team regained the lead, 16-14, with just over 13 minutes left in the half. The Rams would score on their next possession, needing only two plays for quarterback Drew Fryhoff to connect with Jesse Barker for a 45-yard TD.
Fryhoff finished 16 for 32 for 182 yards and a touchdown in the game. Montgomery was 4 for 6 for 47 yards and a score. Fryhoff also led the team on the ground, picking up 61 yards on 13 carries.Â
Barker led the Rams in receptions, pulling down 10 tosses for 107 yards and a touchdown.
The Rams defense even found itself in the endzone. Mike Pirnik intercepted Chasen Gempeler for a 35-yard pick six with 5:45 left in the half. Gavilan went for two, but McQueen fumbled the attempt and the team took a 29-14 lead.
The Rams put three more points up before the half when McQueen’s 35-yard field goal attempt sailed through the posts to make it 32-14 Gavilan.
The Corsairs scored 19 unanswered points tie the game at 32-32 late. Aleric Stone took the ball four yards with seven seconds left in the third and Westby made a 31-yard field goal with 8:26 remaining in the fourth to cut the Rams’ lead to 32-24.
Stone scored the tying TD on a 3-yard rush and carried the ball in for the 2-point conversion.
Gavilan scored on its first two possessions—a 1-yard rush from Anthony Brooks and a 45-yard run from Miguel Redmond—but missed the extra point on the first score to lead 13-0 early in the first. Redwoods would score twice more before the quarter ended to take a 14-13 lead—the last time it would be ahead before OT.
Gavilan finishes its season 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the Golden Coast League.
