This was the kind of performance the Santa Barbara High football team needed after going winless in its last three games.
The Dons came up with huge plays on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Kai Mault ran for the winning touchdown with 38 seconds left for a wild 28-21 victory over Calabasas at Peabody Stadium.
It’s the program’s first win in the Conejo Coast League and it keeps Santa Barbara in playoff contention.
“It all came together this week,” said Mault, who won his first game at quarterback after taking over for injured starter Laird Finkel in the San Marcos game back on Sept. 20. “We’ve been playing good (with) a few missing parts. But we put it all together (tonight). It was amazing.”
Mault scored the game winner on a 46-yard quarterback draw and Sammie Congdon kicked the PAT.
“That was a designed play; great play call by our coach,” said Mault, who rushed for 163 yards on 14 carries and had a 9-yard TD run in the second quarter. “Everything lined up perfectly: the receivers sold it, the linemen blocked perfectly. It was a clear run to the end zone.”
The stunning play came after the Dons, who moved down the field using a jumbo package of two tight ends and linemen as running backs, were stopped on fourth and goal at the Calabasas 2-yard line, leaving the game tied at 21 with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter.
Mendoza said he chose not to kick a go-ahead field goal for a couple of reasons.
“We’re on our back-up kicker; he’s been doing it and doing a great job for us, and we just didn’t want to give (Calabasas) a minute-40 to possibly win the game. We said, ‘If we don’t get it, they have to go 99 yards to beat us.’ The defense had our backs.”
The Dons’ defense rose to the occasion and forced Calabasas to go three and out. On third and 1, Rafael Mendez tackled the Coyotes’ speedy and shifty running back Kayne Miller for no gain.
Calabasas punted from its end zone and the Dons got the ball back at the Coyotes’ 46 with 1:04 left. Mault threw an incomplete pass on first down before Santa Barbara called time out. The offensive line did a perfect job of blocking and the middle of the field opened up for Mault, who outran a speedy secondary for the team’s biggest touchdown of the season.
“I felt a little sick about not converting on fourth down, but defense had our backs. They got us good field position on the punt and we ran the quarterback draw for Kai with a timeout left, said Mendoza. “We were kind of hoping to get in field goal range during the timeout and instead he takes it to the house.
“Phenomenal athlete, great play by him.”
Calabasas started its final possession at its 35, after the Santa Barbara kickoff went out of bounds. After an incomplete pass, quarterback Dominik Hardy scrambled and completed an 18-yarder to put the ball at the 50 with only two seconds left. On the next play, his pass was intercepted by Bode Fauskee to end the game.
It was Fauskee’s second pick of the fourth quarter. His first one was a game-breaker. With Calabasas ahead 21-14, Hardy completed four passes on a long drive to put the Coyotes at the Santa Barbara 33. On third and 4, Fauskee blitzed and blocked Hardy’s throw. He somehow managed to keep the ball from falling to the ground and took off the other way for a 67-yard pick-6. Congdon’s PAT tied the score at the 10:58 mark.
“I went up to block it and I thought it went off the ground,” said Fauskee of the pass. “I didn’t know it was on my side and once I knew that I just started running.”
“The biggest play of the game,” said Mendoza. “It turned the momentum of the game right back in our hands. What a play by Bode Fauskee. He’s had many of them throughout the year.
“I’m just proud those guys are on my team. We needed that win. It’s been about a month.”
The Dons had not won since Sept. 13.
Both teams came into this game with 0-2 records in league play, so coming away with a victory was important in keeping CIF playoff hopes alive.
“This was a huge game for us,” said Fauskee. “We were emphasizing that all week. We got to win this game, it’s a playoff game for us.”
Santa Barbara is now 1-2 in league and 5-2-1 overall. Calabasas falls to 0-3 and 4-4.
“We’ve been talking about shaking (the winless streak) off our shoulders all week and the boys did it tonight, Now we grab a little momentum and we need to keep it as we move forward to next week,” said Mendoza.
The Dons got off to a roaring start in their homecoming game. They took the opening kickoff and scored in three plays that took just 30 seconds. There was a 14-yard end around by Tomas Gil, a 41-yard keeper by Mault and a 30-yard blast up the middle for the touchdown by Fauskee.
Calabasas tied the score on a quick pitch to Miller, who made a quick cutback and bolted 34 yards for the touchdown. Ben Chachman kicked the PAT to make it 7-7 at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter.
The Coyotes used some trickery to take the lead. They executed a double-pass play, with Dominik Hardy throwing across the field to wide receiver Dezmyn Hardy who fired down field to a wide-open Kingston Celifie for the touchdown and a 14-7 advantage with 1:50 left in the quarter.
Santa Barbara answered with Mault directing a 64-yard, seven-play drive. He capped the drive by out-running Calabasas defenders down the left sideline for a 16-yard touchdown at 10:53 of the second quarter.
Stadium. (Jaime Herrera photo)
The Coyotes got five pass completions from Dominik Hardy and a 41-yard run from Miller to retake the lead. The Hardy boys, Dominik and the 6-foot-4 Dezmyn, hooked up on a 5-yard toss for a 21-14 lead.
Just before halftime, Santa Barbara drove to the Calabasas 37. But Mault was picked off in the end zone by Dylan Hein.
The Coyotes threatened on their first possession of the second half, reaching the Santa Barbara 4-yard line. But the Dons forced a fumble and Landon Nelson recovered to keep them within one score.
Mendoza said Malachi Johnston forced the turnover.
“Huge, huge turnover by Malachi in that third quarter, as they were driving and probably would have got three points. Instead, we got that turnover,” said Mendoza.
Carter Hubbard also had a big game for the Dons’ defense, recording three sacks.
