Lions rally late

It wasn't easy, but Live Oak High football coach Mike Ziegenmeyer and the Lions will take a win any way they can get it.

Sophomore quarterback Tony Montes hit Jacob Sales with a three-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds remaining in the game to lift the Lions to a 26-21 Sacramento Valley League victory over Pierce at Gregg Le Master Field in Arbuckle on Friday night.

The touchdown toss capped a 20-play, 98-yard drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock and kept the Lions' playoff hopes alive.

"My gosh, I can't begin to put into words what that game meant," said Ziegenmeyer. "That was far better than my first win as a varsity coach. Just watching these guys do that was unbelievable."

The last-minute drive actually began with 7:10 on the clock. After stopping the Bears on downs, the Lions took over at their own 2-yard line and had to move the ball nearly the length of the field just to get into position for a potential game-winning field goal.

Live Oak (4-5, 2-3) picked up eight first downs on the drive and converted twice on fourth-and-one before Montes found Gabe Gonzalez for an 18-yard completion on third down to move the ball down to the Pierce 5-yard line.

After a questionable pass interference penalty moved the ball down to the 3, Montes found a leaping Sales in the back of the end zone for the game-winner.

The touchdown pass capped a big night for Montes, who scored touchdowns on a short run and a long kickoff.

It looked like it would be all Lions early, as Live Oak moved the ball methodically down the field on its first drive of the game. The Lions went 54 yards on 14 plays — mostly between the tackles — with Montes finishing it off with a quarterback sneak from one yard out and booting the extra-point kick to give the visitors a quick 7-0 lead.

The Bears (0-9, 0-5) answered the touchdown drive with a drive of their own. Pierce moved the ball 74 yards on 10 plays and Jerry Vega capped it off by taking a toss around right end and racing 13 yards for a touchdown.

Although Alex Diaz's point-after kick was blocked, the Bears were in the game and trailed just 7-6.

Pierce got the ball right back on the ensuing kickoff when Rickey Herrera pounced on a squib kick to give the Bears great field position at the Live Oak 25-yard line.

Five plays later, Pierce turned the turnover into points when Jake Driver found an open Diaz for a 13-yard touchdown. Vega followed by hitting Diaz with the two-point conversion and Pierce took a 14-7 lead into the half.

The Bears held the edge in total yardage in a defensive-minded first half, outgaining the Lions 115-68, before both teams' offenses sprung to life in the third period.

Montes started the explosion by taking the second-half kickoff and returning it 61 yards for a touchdown. The He also added the extra point kick and the game was tied, 14-14.

The tie didn't last long however.

On just the Bears' third play of the second half, Rudy Godinez took a pitch around right end and tip-toed the sidelines en route to a 69-yard touchdown run. Diaz added the point-after kick and the Bears reclaimed the lead, 21-14.

As they did all night, the Lions answered the touchdown with one of their own when Ernesto Robles broke loose for a gain of 41 yards and hit paydirt one play later on a 15-yard jaunt to bring Live Oak within striking distance.

Although Montes' point-after kick sailed wide left, it set the table for the game's exciting conclusion.

"These guys just wanted it real bad," Ziegenmeyer said. "There were some great plays tonight on both sides and I'm proud of the way we battled back."

While Robles led all rushers with 135 yards on 23 carries, Pierce held the edge in total yardage, outgaining the Lions. 271-231.

Godinez led Pierce with 101 yards on 14 carries, while Driver had a solid night throwing the ball, completing 4-of-5 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.