Gahr High junior Harlym Rayford makes his only catch of the game, a 15-yard reception in the third quarter as part of an 11-play, 84-yard drive that led to its second touchdown in a 28-12 victory over Anaheim High last Friday in a CIF-Southern Section Division 13 semifinal game. PHOTO BY ANGEL FRANCO. IG@PraisedOak_media
November 25, 2024
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
Gahr High’s CIF-Southern Section Division 13 semifinal contest against visiting Anaheim High had a little bit of everything last Friday night at Dr. Hanford Rants Stadium. There was a controversial touchdown scored as the first half ended, there were consecutive turnovers in a seven-second span early in the second quarter, a pick-six that changed the complexion of the game and five combined turnovers.
Oh yeah, and Gahr will be playing for its first CIF-SS divisional championship in school history after defeating Anaheim 28-14. The top-seeded Gladiators (8-5) will travel to Pasadena High on Saturday for the Division 13 title.
The moment couldn’t have been better for head coach Greg Marshall, who took over the program in 2003, went to the semifinals in his first trip to the playoffs in 2007, then had five straight playoff losses until this season.
“Thank goodness for the new playoff system,” said Marshall. “So, a team like [Gahr] plays with equal competition; you go out there and you have a really good chance. That’s the big thing; you have to love [the new playoff system].”
On the seventh play of the game, Gahr was held on downs when junior quarterback Roman Acosta was sacked by Leiden Sisifo for a 13-yard loss on fourth down. He had entered the game with 10 and a half sacks. But on the very next play, senior linebacker Isaiah Portillo recovered a fumble at the Anaheim 28-yard line which led to a 27-yard touchdown pass from Acosta to junior wide receiver Alexander Gutierrez four plays later.
The Gahr defense would nearly create another turnover four plays into Anaheim’s next drive when senior safety Ja’Shon Wallace almost picked off Jacob Campos. The Colonists were missing starter Jason Garrett, who had passed for nearly 1,400 yards but was injured in the quarterfinals against Arrowhead Christian High.
While there wouldn’t be another score the remainder of the quarter, Gahr’s defense was beginning to get into a groove.
“I think our defense took advantage of that,” said Marshall. “Obviously, we played really good defense; they were missing some guys and that’s what should happen. That’s what happens to us. We have a couple of guys down and you’re going to struggle.”
On the third play of the second quarter, Sisifo recovered an Acosta fumble, only to see Campos fumble on the next play, which was picked up by junior defensive back Jai’Dyn Backus. Again, the Gladiators couldn’t do anything with that and with 7:17 left in the half, Anaheim was lucky just to be in the game down by a touchdown.
That’s when the Tango League champions started on their 20-yard line and marched down the field to get to Gahr’s two-yard line with 16 seconds left in the half. Following an Anaheim timeout, Arturo Velasquez picked up a yard but as the clock was nearing triple zero’s, he managed to sneak in a one-yard score after time had expired, much to the chagrin of the Gahr sideline and the fans in attendance, which felt the clock operator shouldn’t have stopped the clock after the first one-yard gain.
While Anaheim managed only 69 yards in the first half, all but one yard coming through the air, Gahr wasn’t better, gaining 51 yards on 21 plays. It’s rushing attack was nearly non-existent, picking up just 14 yards but still had the lead thanks to a missed extra point.
“We were struggling offensively,” said Marshall of the Portillo fumble recovery. “They did some things; they changed some things up. [Anaheim coach Tom Bateman] is a good coach. He’s been around for a long time. That was a big play, then the clock stopped at the end of the half, which was a nightmare.
“I’m just glad the [outcome] didn’t come down to the fact we had a clock snafu, and we lost by a touchdown,” he later said.
That touchdown by Anaheim would have been crucial because it began the second half with possession. But the Colonists went three and out and the third place representatives from the Mid-Cities League took advantage by going 84 yards on 11 plays over 5:57, their longest drive of the game, and took a 14-6 lead when senior wide receiver Isaiah Haywood hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Acosta.
Gahr High senior wide receiver Isaiah Haywood falls down after catching a 33-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Roman Acosta late in the third quarter as the Gladiators defeated Anaheim High 28-12 last Friday in a CIF-Southern Section Division 13 semifinal game. It would be his second reception in the game. PHOTO BY ANGEL FRANCO. IG@PraisedOak_media.
Any chance Anaheim had to get back into the game was wiped out on the last play of the stanza when the Colonists had driven from their 30-yard line to the Gahr 19-yard line. But on the 10th play of what would be a 4:44 drive, Backus intercepted Campos at the eight-yard line and returned it to the house for a 21-6 lead.
“Unfortunately, we had a couple of times to put the game away, but we had a penalty or hold, and it shouldn’t have been that close,” said Marshall. “But that’s amazing; that’s our second pick-six in the playoffs in three games. That doesn’t happen [to us]. So maybe this is the year for the Gladiators after all.”
After Campos scored on a one-yard run but couldn’t punch in the two-point conversion with 8:33 left in the game, the Gladiators iced the contest when Acosta found senior tight end Jacob Sikma wide open over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown play with 3:15 left in the contest. Adding insult to injury, Gutierrez picked off Campos on the next play.
Gahr High senior tight end Jacob Sikma will not be denied scoring his team’s last touchdown in last Friday’s 28-12 win over Anaheim High in a CIF-Southern Section Division 13 semifinal game. Sikma scored on a 31-yard connection from junior quarterback Roman Acosta with 3:15 left in the game. PHOTO BY ANGEL FRANCO. IG@PraisedOak_media.
Acosta completed eight of 12 passes for 140 yards while Wallace led the rushing attack with 62 yards on 14 carries. Both teams were nearly identical with offensive yards and time of possession. But the difference in the game was the defense with the two interceptions and the two fumble recoveries. Portillo led the Gladiators with eight and a half tackles plus the fumble recovery followed by Gutierrez with five and a half tackles and the interception and senior linebacker Dylan Richburg with five tackles.
“You have to credit the defense,” said Marshall. “I know they didn’t have their [starting] quarterback, but they’re a running team. They run the ball; they don’t really throw the ball that much, anyway. I thought we handled their front pretty well.”
While Marshall has been coaching Gahr football for the past 22 seasons, he has had a winning season eight times. Including this season, he has finished the regular season at 5-5 but missed the playoffs three times. His all-time record at Gahr currently stands at 109-117.
“For me personally, it’s just that we coach our kids up and that’s why we do it,” said Marshall of his longevity. “It’s for the kids. Personally, to tell you the truth, win, lose or draw, as long as our kids are playing hard, I’m just proud of them. It really doesn’t change me either way because that’s how I’ve done it for 25 years. If it was about wins and losses, I would have been out of here a long time ago. So, we’re here for the kids; we coach our kids, we do the best we can with them. And fortunately, with the new playoff system, these kids get the chance to reach their potential.”
