Story by L.T.Willis
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| Servite and Santa Margarita players and coaches came together to pray that Servite's Sean Derosa will be alright. All photos are by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports. |
Our Friday Night Game of The Week took us to Cerritos College were two teams were on a collision course with the Trinity League Title at stake. The 2011 Santa Margarita and Servite Game will go down as one of the greatest high school football games in Southern California. Santa Margarita won the toss and decided to kickoff to Servite. During the kickoff Servite's Sean Derosa took a hard hit and laid motionless and both teams and coaches came together and prayed that he would be alright. Moments later you could see that Sean was moving his feet and movement of his hand that was a great sign to see. Servite got on the board first after the delay in the game march down the field and Servite's Manaitovini Pauu scored on a 4 yard touchdown run and the Friars now led 7-0 with 7:54 left in the first quarter.
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| Servite's # 4 Manaitovini Pauu scores the first touchdown of the game. All photos are by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports. |
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| Santa Margarita's # 5 Ryan Wolpin ties the game 7-7. |
Santa Margarita with 48 seconds left in the first quarter tied the game 7-7 when Ryan Wolpin scored on a 1 yard touchdown run. Servite responded with another good drive and the Friars' quarterback Cody Pittman found wide receiver Ainslie Johnson open for a 9 yard touch down pass to take the lead 14-7. Well the beginning of a shoot out was in the makings as Santa Margarita's quarterback Johnny Stanton connected with Ryan Wolpin on a 60 yard touchdown pass tied the game 14-14. With 42 seconds before the half Servite's quarterback Cody Pittman scored on a 5 yard touchdown run and at half time led 21-14.
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| Servite's # 80 Ainslie Johnson scores on a 9 yard touchdown pass and the Friars now leads 14-7. |
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| The Eagles' Ryan Wolpin scores on a 60 yard touchdown pass to tie the game 14-14. |
The third quarter Santa Margarita tied the game 21-21 on a Ryan Wolpin 4 yard touchdown run and the fans from both sides were really getting into the game as it seems that both teams couldn't stop each other in this Trinity League classic show down. With 1:21 left in the third quarter Friars' Manaitovini Pauu scored on a 9 yard touchdown run and now Servite led 28-21. Early in the fourth quarter the Eagles' Johnny Stanton scored on a 11 yard touchdown run and tied the game 28-28. Servite answered back again with a 4yard touchdown run by Manaitovini Pauu to push their lead to 35-28.
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| Santa Margarita's # 4 quarterback Johnny Stanton has to fight for every yard he could get against Servite. |
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| Servite's # 4 Manaitovini Paul scores again on a 4 yard touchdown run and now leads Santa Margarita 35-28. |
Late in the fourth quarter the Eagles had to rely on the their junior quarterback to lead them one more time down the field and Johnny Stanton delivered again with a 7 yard touch down run and tied the game 35-35 as the game was now going into overtime. Santa Margarita got the ball first and scored on a hard 4 yard run by Johnny Stanton and now the Eagles led 42-35. The game was coming down to who would have the ball last. Servite's Manaitovini Pauu scored on his third touchdown of the night and and now only trailed the Eagles 42-41.
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| The Eagles '# 4 Johnny Stanton scores on a 7 yard touchdown run to tie the game 35-35 to force overtime. |
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| The Eagles' # 4 Johnny Stanton scores the first touchdown in overtime to take the lead 42-35. |
After a timeout Servite's head coach Troy Thomas decided to go for the win instead of going into a second overtime period with Santa Margarita went for the two point conversion as the Friars' quarterback Cody Pittman found wide open Ainslie Johnson for the two point conversion and Servite defeated Santa Margarita in overtime 43-42 to capture another Trinity League Title. These are the types of games that sports writers and photographers dream off because there really were no losers in tonight's game, but we all witness young men growing up right in front of our eyes giving it their all and after the game ended they were still winners.
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| Servite's # 80 Ainslie Johnson scores on a two point conversion to defeat Santa Margarita in overtime 42-43. |
Santa Margarita's Johnny Stanton finish with 19/29 for 275 yards and one touchdown pass and carried the ball 22 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Wolpin carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards and two touchdowns and 3 catches for 84 yards and one touchdown. Servite's Cody Pittman finish the night 19/22 for 245 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball 18 times for 100 yards and one touchdown. Manaitovini Pauu carried the ball 16 times for 58 yards and three touchdowns. All photos and video highlights and post game footage are by Eric Wade/ T.G. Sports and EW/Gems Images.
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