Rancho Cucamonga – 14 points down the half, Serra comes back wild.
After Etiwanda scored a tying touchdown with 5.1 seconds, owner Murphy’s 2-yard run in overtime gave Serra a 34-27 victory in the Division 3 semifinals at Etiwanda High School on Friday night.
Sixth-seeded Serra (8-4) will play in Apple Valley next week for the title, her first visit to the final since 2013. Second seed Etiwanda (12–1) failed in their bid to return to the final for first. time after 1990
The game had a wild fourth quarter in which 33 points were scored, with only 21 being scored during the first three.
Serra on first and second and goal in overtime, Murphy scored to take the lead.
Atiwanda finished fourth and 11 out of 26 on his turn in the OT and Zach Congleton’s pass was left unfinished.
At halftime, Etiwanda took a 14-7 lead 14-0 after three quarters.
Then in the fourth, Serra’s first chance resulted in a blocked field goal attempt. Troy Crozier’s 5-yard run leveled the score with 6:44 to start a wild sequence. Two plays later on a broken play, Congleton ran 80 yards for a TD, but the PAT was blocked.
But Serra returned the ensuing kickoff for TD to take a 21-2.0 lead. Serra again scored with 2:21 to play for 3 yards run by Sincere Raney, but that PAT was blocked.
After time ran out, Etiwanda covered 70 yards, with Congleton remaining 5.1 seconds for a 12-yard TD with Jaden Landrum.
But it was Serra who prevailed in overtime.
Etiwanda took advantage of two sera turnovers to take a 14-0 halftime lead on a pick-six by Jaden Bird and a run by Sai Maiwa. But it was Etiwanda who turned the ball twice in the second half.
