San Marcos flag football punched its ticket to the CIF-SS playoffs with a 13-12 tiebreaker win over Ventura High on Wednesday at Warkentin Stadium.
The Royals (15-9, 4-5 Channel League) defeated the Cougars (17-12, 3-6 CL) on Tuesday to force the play-in contest, and stayed hot on Wednesday with a strong defensive showing en route to the victory.
“Most of [the playoff scenario] was more in the back of our minds, and we just tried to get the girls to focus on one play at a time, getting better with their technique, getting better with their fundamentals, knowing their assignments and getting lined up right. All those little things that add up,” San Marcos head coach Walt Bazylewicz said.
“We knew [us and Ventura] were really close all year long… I told the girls that we’ve got a high ceiling, and they’re going to just keep getting better, and they’re starting to learn how to win some of these close games.”
San Marcos will now await its CIF-SS playoff division and first-round matchup, which will be released on Friday.
After the two sides traded punts to begin the game, Ventura opened the scoring with a bang as Mya Rodriguez lofted a deep ball that Piper Limauro hauled in and took 47 yards for a touchdown. The extra-point attempt failed for a 6-0 lead with 3:04 left in the first.
The Royals went three-and-out on their next drive and the Cougars stayed hot on the offensive end, marching down the field and scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Rodriguez to Kailey Champion for a 12-0 lead with 9:32 left in the half.
The San Marcos offense then found its groove, capping off an 11-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass from junior Victoria Aldana to sophomore Piper Kittle. Aldana then rushed in the extra point to cut the deficit to 12-7 with 3:03 on the clock.
Both teams had failed drives in the final stretch of the half to preserve the Ventura five-point lead into halftime.
The defenses dominated the third quarter as both offenses were held scoreless, with Ventura forcing a pair of turnovers on downs and Kittle coming up with an interception for the Royals.
“[The defense] had a little bit of adversity because they jumped on us. The first half was exactly opposite of what it was last night,” Bazylewicz said. “The defense has been playing well, really all year. They’re young, and as long as they’re paying close attention to their technique and their fundamentals, they’re in good shape.”
San Marcos then put together a strong drive on its first possession of the fourth quarter, aided by a 27-yard third-down completion from Aldana to sophomore Maya Llewellyn to get inside the red zone.
After a Ventura pass interference, Aldana found Llewellyn in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown and a 13-12 lead. San Marcos went for two on the conversion and came up short, keeping the lead at one point with 7:32 left in the game.
“We’re watching them grow up before our eyes,” Bazylewicz said of his offense. “They’re so young… They’re learning how to run a little better routes, the ball’s coming out a little quicker, they’re starting to realize where those passing lanes are and the windows, and they’re just understanding the game better.
“I think that’s paying off in those long drives.”
The two teams then exchanged punts, giving the Cougars a chance at a game-winning drive with the ball at their own 33-yard line with 2:03 to go.
After forcing a fourth down, the San Marcos defense was called for a pass interference to give Ventura new life. A few plays later, the Cougars converted on fourth down to secure a first down from 19 yards out with 19 seconds on the clock.
Three straight incomplete passes and a penalty by the Cougars followed, giving the visitors one final untimed down from the 29-yard line. Rodriguez floated a pass down the field into traffic, and San Marcos sophomore Scarlett Holian came down with the interception to seal the victory.
“I had a feeling it was going to come down to an extra point or two, and luckily, we got one more than they did,” Bazylewicz said. “Our defense dug in and our offense found a way to put some drives together.”
Aldana completed 30-of-45 pass attempts for 213 yards and two touchdowns, with Kittle ending the night with 17 receptions for 119 yards.
