Late field goal gives St. Pat’s first state title

Junior Gabe Fuentes kicked a 19-yard field goal with 6 seconds to play as the Bruins rallied from a 14-point first-quarter deficit to stun host Strathmore 29-28 to win the California Interscholastic Federation’s Division 6-A championship. St. Pat’s appeared to have won a play earlier when junior Marshel Martin took a third-down pass from a scrambling Akil Edwards far behind the line of scrimmage and managed to get to the pylon. St. Pat’s trailed 28-14 at the half, but took advantage of a 17-yard sack of Spartans quarterback Nick Salas and a poor punt to take over at the Strathmore 15. The St. Pat’s defense took over in the fourth quarter, forcing the Spartans (14-1) to punt on three consecutive possessions. “I was joking with (Fuentes) during practice last week, saying, ‘If it comes down to a game-winning field goal, you’re going to make it,’” said St. Pat’s senior quarterback Michael Pappas. John Torchio had two interceptions and caught one of Jake Westphal’s two touchdown passes in the Division 4-AA game as the visiting Cougars won their second CIF title in three years. Campolindo (12-3) never trailed in the game, taking a 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass from Westphal to Kannah Cruickshank late in the first quarter. In Division 5-A, Devin White’s 75-yard punt return broke a 14-14 tie and proved to be the score that delivered the Oakland Athletic League its first CIF State Bowl title. Menlo-Atherton (12-3) struck first with a touchdown pass from Aajon Johnson and held a 7-6 lead after one quarter.