Butte Valley ousts Princeton with OT win

Sometimes having all the heart in the world just isn't enough.

The Princeton High football team played battered and bruised. It played through injuries and through obvious pain as players gritted back tears in a punishing eight-man contest against Butte Valley.

But of all the cramps, the twisted ankles and cries of pain, the most wrenching moment for the Eagles came when Evan Penalla pulled down an interception in the second overtime period to seal a 13-7 victory for the Bulldogs in the Northern Section Div. VI playoffs.

The pick, which Penella grabbed near the front pylon on the right side of the end zone, came off a wobbly throw from Guillermo Rodriguez, and after Steven Pace had run in a score from 10 yards out to give the Bulldogs the lead.

In the first overtime, both teams exhibited the same anemic offenses that kept the score tied at 7-7 from the end of the first quarter until the end of regulation.

Butte Valley couldn't convert a 32-yard field goal, and Princeton came within a penalty flag toward advancing into the second round for the third straight year.

After Anthony Sorrels rushed the ball to the 7-yard line, Oscar Gutierrez found Justin Zoller in the left side of the end zone, but Zoller was whistled for pass interference after shoving Jan Hendrick Hadeler to the ground in order to make the catch.

Needless to say, it drew the ire of the fans and the Eagles' coaching staff.

"I thought we had it there at the end, but apparently the officials saw it a little different," Princeton coach Bryan Lex said. The play capped a frustrating day offensively for the Eagles, who scored on the first possession of the game on a 5-yard run from Gutierrez, but struggled to move the ball following the score.

"We had a lot of injuries," Princeton running back and de-facto quarterback Anthony Sorrels said. "People needed to step up early and they did, but Butte Valley got a lot better."

The senior, who kept the Eagles contending throughout the contest even with excruciating pain in his shoulder, couldn't be more spot on.

The Eagles were without starting quarterback Cody Hanson, who trolled the sidelines on crutches with a broken ankle. Without Hanson, the Eagles lost his 97.7 passing yards per game, which in eight-man football is a healthy number.

If that wasn't enough, Rodriguez, the backup signal-caller, went out in the first quarter and didn't return until the fourth period. It lead to Sorrels going under center and the Eagles relying primarily on the run game.

"It makes us one dimensional," Lex said. "We planned on throwing the ball with them."

The Eagles did step up, especially Sorrels, who finished with 81 rushing yards.

"He really stepped up and played a lot of roles," Lex said. "I couldn't be more proud of his effort."

Earlier this season the Eagles beat the Bulldogs, 54-6.

"It's a bummer going out like this," Lex said. "But we made a good run."