Woodbridge players and coaches celebrate after a quarterfinal round victory over Buena Park. (Photos courtesy John Luciano).
Woodbridge’s football team had to claw back twice from deficits but rallied for a 23-16 victory over league rival Buena Park Friday night at Uni in the CIF Division 13 quarterfinals.
A steady rain fell through most of the game but some loyal fans from both teams weathered the storm to enjoy an exciting battle to the finals seconds.
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Warrior fans had a lot to be excited about. The team’s improbable post-season run willl continue when Woodbridge plays at top-seeded Saddleback next Friday in the semifinals.
Woodbridge, 4-8 overall, started out 0-7, before turning its season around at the most important time of the year. The Warriors, who have won four of their last five games, avenged a 22-14 loss to Buena Park (6-6) in an Omicron League game on Thursday, Oct. 30.
“Each week, it amazes me, it exceeds my expectations,” said first-year coach Connor McBride. “Tonight was the epitome of what football is all about in the rain and everything else and different players making different plays and really not giving up until the end and making a big play to go ahead to the third round.”
Woodbridge trailed 10-0 before scoring 15 unanswered points to take a 15-10 lead at halftime.
Buena Park regained the lead 16-15 on a 13-yard TD run by Joshua Santillan, one of three players who shared quarterback duties, with 7:26 left in the game. The Coyotes were unable to convert the two-point try.
Woodbridge was able to drive to the Buena Park 43-yard line on its next drive, but on a fourth and 13 play, a pass by quarterback Waylon Stone fell incomplete.
Buena Park got the ball back but on a fourth down play from its own 31-yard line, the center snap was high to the punter, who fumbled the ball. Woobridge recovered and following a penalty on Buena Park, Woodbridge got the ball on the Coyote 2-yard line with 2:51 left.
Woodbridge senior David Bosley then broke free into the end zone for a score to put the Warriors ahead 21-16. Kayjahn Pitts ran the ball in for two points to put Woodbrige ahead 23-16 with 2:46 remaining.
Buena Park did not give up. The Coyotes after some big gains by Alex Blancas and Elias Chavez, got down to the Woodbridge 24-yard line but Woodbridge was able to make a stop on fourth down with 11 seconds left before celebrating the win.
“Things happen, but I think it’s good karma,” McBride said. “We never gave up. David Bosley has had a big game every single game, he plays fullback, he plays linebacker, he doesn’t always get the touchdowns, but it’s good for him to be able to get the shining moment.”
Bosley was also in on the muffed punt play that gave Woodbridge new life in the final minutes and led to the eventual game-winning score.
“It was so exciting, the moment I saw the punter fumble the ball, I hit him, the ball pops out and my boy Hunter (King) picks up the ball and we get on the 5-yard line,” Bosley said. “Oh my gosh, it was such a surreal experience. At that point I knew we were going to win, it was just a matter of time.
“We’re going to the semifinals, I don’t know which team yet, but we’re going to put up a hell of a fight.”
Buena Park jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when junior Pedro Azpeitia made a 32-yard field goal with eight minutes left in the first quarter.
It looked like it would be Buena Park’s night when starting quarterback Jacob Morales scored on a 39-yard touchdown run with 4:10 left in the first quarter to put the Coyotes ahead 10-0.
Woodbridge wasn’t able to move the ball on its next possession. But on Buena Park’s next possession, the Coyotes fumbled and the Warriors Avery Hur recovered on the Buena Park 22-yard line.
Bosley had a big 14-yard pickup and Pitts followed with a 3-yard TD run to close the gap to 10-7.
Pitts then scored from 18 yards with four minutes left in the first half and Stone ran in for the two-point conversion to put Woodbridge ahead 15-10.
The Warriors seemed to have all the momentum until Buena Park scored in the fourth quarter and Woodbridge responded once again.
“We faced all season with adversity, it was another game of it today, I think our team battled,” said Stone, the Woodbridge quarterback. “I think all of our team wanted to get back a win since we lost to them earlier this season.”
Buena Park had two incompletions in the game and no passing yards.
Under tough conditions, Stone, a freshman, completed 3 of 13 passes for 77 yards.
“It was hard to throw the ball with rough conditions but I trusted my guy Jalen Webb (29-yard catch). I knew he was going to make a play for me, we ran it twice in a row and never lost trust in him, big play by him,” Stone said.
“We’re going to come out for more practice, with more hunger and ready for the championship.”
Pitts was the Warriors leading rusher with 106 yards on 23 carries.
“PItts is always someone we’re been leaning on but I want to be honest, my O-line is really the group that put it together, the O-line and D-line, we told them it was going to be won at the line of scrimmage because of the rain and they really held up,” McBride said.
McBride was also pleased with the play of King and Hur on defense.
Chavez rushed for 105 yards on 19 carries and Morales, the starting quarterback, rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries for Buena Park. He left the game in the first half with an injury.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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