Eagles fall in heartbreaker

Barry Faulkner

Estancia High and Golden West League football host Saddleback traded

scoring drives, interceptions, big hits, big plays and the emotion

inspired when teams are fighting for dwindling postseason berths.

But the Eagles ended up with one fewer conversion kick, one more

lost fumble and about all the heartache a game like this usually

renders in a 14-13 loss Friday at the Santa Ana Bowl.

“This was huge,” said first-year Saddleback Coach Jeoff Meek, who

showed as much courage as his players by choosing not to punt on

fourth-and-one from his own 29-yard line with about 10 minutes left

in the game.

The Roadrunners (5-3, 3-2 in league), who came in tied for third

with Costa Mesa, got 5 yards to move the chains and milk the clock,

but still could not deny Estancia (3-5, 1-3) one final chance at

victory.

After the Eagles held on fourth-and-10 at their own 32, they

regained possession with 4:05 left, facing a one-point deficit.

Three runs and a completed pass moved the Eagles to the 46, where

senior tailback Daniel Cheesboro took a toss and was driven out of

bounds for a 1-yard loss at the Saddleback 31.

Estancia Coach Craig Fertig said Cheesboro, who bolted 24 yards on

the previous play and finished with a game-high 171 yards on 29

carries, was winded and needed a break.

“He had just made that long run, so I decided to take him out [to

rest],” Fertig said. “We had been running the ball outside, so I

thought they were setting their defense outside. I decided to run up

the middle and we fumbled. The thinking was there, but the execution

... “

The Eagles fumbled on a dive play on the ensuing snap and

Saddleback’s Albert Garcia recovered at his own 29-yard line with

1:12 left.

Saddleback, which gained 254 yards on 40 rushing attempts, got one

more first down and ran out the clock to help keep its playoff hopes

alive and deliver a serious blow to Estancia’s postseason chances

with just two league games left.

It might not have come to that, had the Eagles not come away empty

on two long drives, the first in the second quarter and the second

spanning the third and fourth periods.

The first, a nine-play procession that began on their own 8-yard

line, ended in an incomplete fake-punt pass on fourth-and-12.

The second Estancia chance lasted eight plays and ended with 10:32

left in the game when a line-drive, 45-yard field-goal attempt

bounced low off the left upright, back into the end zone and was no

good.

Estancia’s first lost fumble was also recovered by Saddleback at

the Roadrunners’ own 29 on the possession prior to the missed field

goal.

Estancia was still playing catchup, since missing a conversion

kick wide left after Bryce McKendry capped an eight-play, 58-yard

touchdown march that pulled the visitors within 14-13.

Estancia tied the game, 7-7, by going 52 yards on seven plays,

with Cheesboro bolting 11 yards for the capper with 3:46 left in the

first quarter.

Saddleback’s first two possessions were touchdown drives covering

77 and 69 yards.

Roadrunner backs Chris Washington (136 yards on 13 carries) and

Joaquin Rivas (86 on 18, including both TDs), helped the hosts wear

down the Estancia defense.

Saddleback played the second half with sophomore backup

quarterback Joaquin Avalos at the controls, after starter Josh Flores

was sidelined by what Meek called a mild concussion.

“We did not take advantage of a couple opportunities early, which

put ourselves in a hole,” Fertig said. “But one thing I love about

this team is that it never stops fighting.”

Meek also had praise for the Eagles.

“My hats off to Estancia,” he volunteered. “They have a great

running back [Cheesboro] and their quarterback [Nick Cox] can throw

it a million miles.”

Saddleback won the passing yardage battle, 96-69, but Estancia

cornerback Ezequiel Villalvazo had an interception in the end zone

late in the first half.