In Scrambling Fashion, Southwest Wins, 38-35

Quarterback Sheldon Anderson scrambled 70 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 1 minute 30 seconds to play Saturday as Southwest College nudged Valley, 38-35, in a Western State Conference Southern Division game at Southwest.

Anderson’s run helped the Cougars overcome five touchdown passes by Monarch quarterback Sean Fitzgerald, who completed 25 of 43 passes for 316 yards.

Fitzgerald guided Valley to its 43-yard line with 58 seconds left, but his final pass was intercepted by linebacker Corey Long, securing the victory for Southwest (3-4-1, 2-1 in the division).

Facing a third-and-10 situation with his team trailing, 35-32, Anderson dropped to pass at the Cougar 30-yard line. Unable to find a receiver, he scrambled up the middle for the game-winning touchdown.

“I only thing I was worried about was running into the referee,” Anderson said. “He was the only one in the way.”

Valley (6-2, 1-2) entered the game ranked 14th in the state.

“I think they took us lightly,” Long said. “We came out hard and never did quit. Luckily, we came out with the victory.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Southwest opened an 18-7 lead. The Cougars’ Earl Franklin scored on a five-yard run and Darrell Cooley returned a kickoff 93 yards for a 12-7 lead. With 58 seconds left before halftime, Katia Ransom scored on a three-yard run.

But Fitzgerald guided Valley 56 yards in five plays to cut the deficit to 18-14 at halftime. Fitzgerald’s 24-yard pass to Brian Comer, his second TD pass of the game, came with nine seconds remaining in the half.

Anderson and Ransom combined on a 49-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half to give Southwest a 26-14 lead.

But Fitzgerald connected with Hector Ortega on touchdown passes of 37 and 33 yards to give Valley its first lead, 28-26, with 5:13 to play in the third quarter.

After a missed 40-yard field-goal attempt by Valley, Southwest marched 76 yards to regain the lead, 32-28, with 10:03 to play. Anderson scored on a four-yard run to end the 10-play drive.

Fitzgerald brought the Monarchs back with a 10-yard TD pass to Comer for a 35-32 lead with 5:32 remaining.

Valley cornerback Tony Gugliuzza intercepted a pass on Southwest’s first play of its next possession, but the Cougars stopped the Monarchs and regained possession with 2:32 to play at their 11-yard line to set up Anderson’s heroics.

“You can’t really take anything away from (Southwest), they beat us,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s nothing we can do about except hope to bounce back.”