Estancia denied against Saddleback

SANTA ANA — Last year, Eric Carrasco couldn’t play quarterback in the Orange Coast League finale that determined which team made the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs and which team did not. He failed a concussion test well before kickoff, and his team lost the game that decided third place in league.

A year later, Carrasco was in a similar situation and he had another big test. This time he got the chance to be the signal caller with the season on the line, and this time he was wearing the colors of a different high school football team.

The junior left Costa Mesa and transferred to Estancia before the season. He made his first start at quarterback for the Eagles because Connor Brown dislocated his non-throwing shoulder in practice earlier this week.

The Eagles turned to their backup quarterback, Carrasco, who hadn’t thrown a pass all year. That appeared to be asking too much. Saddleback denied Carrasco and Estancia, most likely ending the Eagles’ season.

The Roadrunners picked off Carrasco twice in the third quarter, returning the first interception 102 yards for a touchdown to take their first lead. Saddleback capitalized on the second turnover as well, adding another touchdown to pull out a 17-10 win at Santa Ana Stadium.

In a battle for sole possession of third place and the league’s final guaranteed postseason berth, the Roadrunners came out on top, finishing 3-2 in league. For the first time since 1987-88, the Roadrunners (6-4 overall) have made the playoffs in consecutive years.

The game oddly turned in Saddleback’s favor once Estancia (3-7, 2-3 in league) decided to throw the ball on a third-and-goal situation on the opponent’s 10-yard line. Things looked promising for the Eagles. They took the opening drive of the second half deep into Saddleback territory, looking to add to their 7-3 lead.

Then a false start on the offense moved the ball back five yards. Instead of playing it conservatively, Estancia called a pass play. Carrasco’s pass to the left went right to defensive back Jacob Jimenez, who intercepted the ball in the end zone.

The junior didn’t take a knee for a touchback. Jimenez took off the other way for a 102-yard pick-six, and with 7:05 left in the third quarter, Saddleback led, 10-7.

“I just wanted to help my team out, so I took the opportunity to score a touchdown,” said Jimenez, who more than made up for his muffed punt in the second quarter that allowed Estancia to strike first.

The turnover set Estancia up inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Two plays later, Carrasco helped Estancia take a 7-0 lead. He threw a jump ball to wide receiver Trevor Brown, who came down with a 17-yard touchdown catch with about 2½ minutes left before halftime.

The Roadrunners were able to cut the deficit right before halftime. Emmanuel Oropeza converted a 33-yard field goal. Estancia went into the break with a 7-3 lead, and Carrasco looked good in the first half, completing eight of nine passes for 93 yards.

Throwing interceptions on the Eagles’ first two second-half possessions forced Coach Mike Bargas to bench Carrasco. Estancia went with Tyler Ross at the start of the fourth quarter, hoping the junior could spark the offense.

Ross drove the offense inside the Roadrunners’ 40-yard line, but Estancia turned the ball over for a third time in the second half. Saddleback recovered a fumble on its 34 with 9:58 to go.

The Eagles got the ball back almost two minutes later. Brown picked off Osvaldo Zuno’s pass on Estancia’s 17.

The Eagles, trailing 17-7, were still alive. Ross completed three straight passes, the last one was a screen pass to running back Tyler Chacon and it went for a 30-yard gain. With a first-and-goal on the six, lineman Jesus Rojas sacked Ross for a nine-yard loss. Jose Benitez dropped Ross for a four-yard sack on the next down.

The third-down run by Chacon, who finished with 13 carries for 64 yards, also went for negative yards. Down two scores, Estancia brought on kicker Christopher Moya. His 38-yard field goal made it a seven-point game with 2:38 remaining.

The Eagles couldn’t stop running back Geovanni Estrada to force a quick three-and-out. Estrada, who rushed 31 times for 115 yards and a touchdown, topped 100 yards on a third-and-five run, gaining six yards to move the chains. Estancia was down to its final timeout, and time was running out on the Eagles’ season.

“I don’t think so,” Bargas said, when asked if he believed his team could earn one of the Southern Division’s two at-large postseason entries on Sunday, when the section releases the playoff pairings. “I certainly don’t think we deserve it.

“[Carrasco is] still our future. He just threw two unfortunate picks.”

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Saddleback 17, Estancia 10

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Estancia 0 – 7 – 0 – 3 — 10

Saddleback 0 – 3 – 14 – 0 — 17

SECOND QUARTER

E – T. Brown 17 pass from Carrasco (Moya kick), 2:39.

S – Oropeza 33 FG, :14.

THIRD QUARTER

S – Jimenez 102 INT return (Oropeza kick), 7:05.

S – Estrada 3 run (Oropeza kick), 4:28.

FOURTH QUARTER

E – Moya 38 FG, 2:38.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

E – Chacon, 13-64.

S – Estrada, 31-115, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

E – Carrasco, 12-16-2, 133, 1 TD.

S – Zuno, 6-15-1, 74.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

E – T. Brown, 5-58, 1 TD.

S – Roa, 3-40.