SALINAS — A pair of timely forced fumbles. A trick play out of a Hollywood movie. A rookie quarterback’s first touchdown pass.
Watsonville High needed all that — and a little more — to pull out a 28-21 come-from-behind, double-overtime win over North Salinas High on Friday night at Rabobank Stadium.
Senior running back Matthew Barcelo scored the eventual game-winning touchdown for Watsonville (4-1, 1-0) in the second overtime, and the defense made a gigantic stop on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line to start the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission division season with a momentum-building victory.
“This is huge, it’s huge motivation for everyone to push each other going forward,” said Watsonville senior defensive lineman Pablo Valle, who made the game-saving strip in overtime.
North Salinas (3-3, 0-2) led 14-7 with 2:24 left in regulation, but gave the Wildcatz new life by fumbling the ball away on its 31-yard line.
Six plays later, senior wingback James Sandoval floated a desperation pass into the end zone on a long third-and-goal, and junior receiver Eric Maldonado came down with an improbable 21-yard touchdown catch to send the game into OT.
“I just chucked it,” Sandoval said, “ but it worked out.”
The teams traded fourth-and-goal touchdown passes in the first extra period, but Watsonville’s offensive line opened up creases for Barcelo in the second, and its defense finished off a solid performance by making yet another big play.
“We played with so much effort,” said Valle, who recorded a pair of sacks. “It’s a great win, but we have to move on. We’ve got a big challenge coming up, and we’ve got to prepare just as hard.”
The “big challenge?” Undefeated Carmel High, which improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in league play with a 14-0 win at Monte Vista Christian on Friday.
They host the Padres, who are averaging 42.8 points per game this season, on Oct. 5 for homecoming.
“We’ve got to fight,” Barcelo said. “Just like [in] this one.”
Barcelo crashed ahead for 188 yards and two touchdowns on a whopping 44 carries.
He had only 49 yards rushing in the first half, but found success over the final two quarters following some halftime adjustments along the offensive line.
Barcelo’s 1-yard plunge on the team’s opening drive of the third quarter evened the score at 7-all, but a slew of mental mistakes and penalties allowed North Salinas to regain control of the game heading into the fourth quarter.
A bad snap on a Watsonville punt set up Joe Zazueta’s 6-yard go-ahead rushing score at the 1:46-mark of the third quarter, and the Vikings put a lid on the Wildcatz’s run-heavy offense until its final game-extending flurry.
Watsonville’s defense gave up a 43-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, but flushed the early mistake and managed to keep the team within striking distance.
The Wildcatz allowed just 72 yards rushing, and forced North Salinas to settle for a 42-yard field goal attempt on the last play of regulation.
The kick fell short, and the teams were knotted at 14-all as the final seconds of the fourth quarter ticked off the scoreboard.
In the overtime periods each team started from the 10-yard line with four downs to score a touchdown or kick a field goal.
North Salinas senior quarterback Elijah Washington put the pressure on the Watsonville offense by completing a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal.
A false start penalty on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line put the ball in the hands of junior quarterback Oscar Magana, and the Wildcatz’s signal caller tossed his first touchdown of his varsity career to junior tight end Ryan Itamura to force a second OT.
Barcelo punched in his second score of the night, Valle burrowed through the North Salinas offensive line to force the fumble and senior defensive end Carlos Ortiz wrestled away the football to seal the win.
“Our defense came in really clutch at the end,” Barcelo said. “We just kept fighting.”
Washington completed 12-of-16 passing attempts for 110 yards and the two touchdowns, and ran 15 times for 38 yards.
A simple 5-yard out to Manuel Camberos on the first play of the second quarter turned into a 43-yard touchdown pass thanks to some sloppy tackling from Watsonville’s secondary.
That was the last time the Vikings moved the ball with success, as the Wildcatz’s defensive line dictated the pace for the rest of the game.
Zazueta carried 19 times for only 34 yards.
“Our job was to stop that quarterback and that running back,” Valle said. “Nothing else mattered.”
Watsonville finished with 216 yards of offense. It had 73 yards at the half.
Sandoval ran seven times for 48 yards.
Magana had an off day throwing the ball, going 0-of-6 in regulation, but made a perfect 7-yard toss when Watsonville needed it most.
“We can’t get too happy,” Sandoval said. “We have a big game coming up. We have to go in there and play like we do, and see what happens.”
In other week 6 high school football action:
Aptos 47, Seaside 6 – The Aptos High Mariners rolled to their first 5-0 start since 2003 in a blowout PCAL Gabilan division win over Seaside High on Friday in Aptos.
Marcos Reyes finished with three rushing touchdowns for Aptos (5-0, 2-0), which travels to Alvarez High on Oct. 5.
Bubba Gallardo, Josh Powell, Silvano Lopez and Juziah Rivero also scored rushing touchdowns in the lopsided victory.
King City 14, St. Francis 7 – St. Francis High dropped a heartbreaker against King City High to begin its PCAL Cypress division season Friday in King City.
Devin McLeod scored the lone touchdown for the Sharks (3-2, 0-1).
St. Francis will try to bounce back against Pacific Grove High on Oct. 5 at Santa Cruz High.
N.M.C. 41, Pacific Grove 13 – Brandon Ducusin tossed a pair of touchdowns and also rushed for a score to lead the North Monterey County High Condors past the Pacific Grove High Breakers to their first PCAL Cypress division win of the season on Friday.
Damon Robles ran for two touchdowns, while Lupe Sanchez and Isaiah Solorio caught scores for N.M.C. (3-3, 1-1).
The Condors play at San Lorenzo Valley High on Oct. 6
Carmel 14, M.V.C. 0 – The Monte Vista Christian Mustangs held Carmel to its lowest scoring total of the season in a PCAL Mission division loss on Friday in Watsonville.
The Mustangs (1-4, 1-1) host Scotts Valley High on Oct. 5.
Gonzales 40, Pajaro Valley 20 – The Pajaro Valley High Grizzlies hung tough with the Gonzales High Spartans in their PCAL Santa Lucia division opener Friday on the road.
The Grizzlies (2-3, 0-1) were down 21-20 at the half, but were shut out over the final two quarters.
Russel Pablo rushed for two touchdowns, and Carlos Hernandez had Pajaro Valley’s other rushing touchdown.
Pajaro Valley hosts Greenfield High on Oct. 6 at Cabrillo College.
