USD Completes Stunning Rally in 30-27 Victory Over St. Thomas
The University of San Diego pulled off perhaps the most remarkable comeback of the weekend, overcoming a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat St. Thomas (MN) 30-27 on a 25-yard field goal by Emiliano Salazar as time expired at Torero Stadium.
Trailing 17-3 at the break, the Toreros erupted for 24 third-quarter points. The rally began when Dom Nankil (Mater Dei Catholic) connected with Josh Heverly for a 41-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-nine, a gutsy call that sparked the comeback.
"I thought we were going to punt it and then they said we're staying on the field and that warmed my heart for sure," Heverly said of the crucial fourth-down decision. "There was never a doubt. I got trust in my OC, trust in the quarterback and the O-line."
After St. Thomas managed only a field goal following a blocked USD punt, the Toreros struck again. Adam Criter punched in a 12-yard rushing touchdown to make it 27-17.
The most spectacular moment came with just seven seconds remaining in the third quarter when Nankil found Cole Monach for a 54-yard touchdown bomb to tie the game at 27-27 heading into the final period.
"It was electric," Heverly said of the third-quarter explosion. "Like I said, there was never a doubt that we would come back, so I'm not surprised at all. We did it last week and now we just have to do it every single quarter."
The fourth quarter turned into a defensive struggle until USD forced a crucial fumble deep in St. Thomas territory with under a minute to play. Salazar, who had already connected on field goals of 42 and 34 yards, calmly drilled the game-winner from 25 yards out.
For Salazar, a sophomore kicker, the moment represented the culmination of a lifelong dream. "I've always been dreaming about having a walk-off field goal. It's just such a blessing," Salazar said. "I always pray about opportunities and seizing my moment, one play at a time. It was an unforgettable experience I'll never forget."
Third-year head coach Brandon Moore praised his team's resilience, drawing parallels to their comeback victory over Princeton the previous week. "We're a team that comes from behind," Moore said. "We're a team that when the chips are down, we fight until the end, and that's what they did today."
The Toreros' defensive turnaround was equally impressive, with graduate defensive end Malachi Cooper (Serra) crediting halftime adjustments and renewed focus. "A lot of the big plays they were making in the first half were just us shooting ourselves in the foot," Cooper explained. "We just had to tell ourselves that we're going to stand up and fight."
The defense forced crucial turnovers in the second half, including the game-clinching fumble recovery. "The tail of the tape says for the last two years we've been getting turnovers, winning the turnover battle," Cooper noted. "I'm proud to say we can contribute to keeping that streak alive."
Nankil finished 11-of-16 for 265 yards and two touchdowns, while Monach led all receivers with 117 yards and a score on nine catches. Heverly added 149 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions.
The victory improved USD to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Pioneer Football League play, while St. Thomas fell to 2-2. The Toreros will travel to Poughkeepsie, NY next Saturday for their next PFL matchup against Marist.
Southwestern Outlasts Mesa in Triple-Overtime Classic, 40-38
The weekend's most dramatic finish came at San Diego Mesa College, where Southwestern College survived a triple-overtime thriller to defeat the host Olympians 40-38.
After a back-and-forth regulation that ended 31-31, both teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime. Mesa quarterback Reggie Johnson (Madison) found Aleonte Logan (Morse) for a touchdown pass to match Southwestern's opening OT score and send the game to a second extra period.
The second overtime proved scoreless as Southwestern missed a field goal attempt and Mesa threw an interception, setting up the decisive third overtime.
In the final extra session, Jaguars quarterback Brayten Silbor connected with Jamarei Ashby-Phan for the crucial two-point conversion after their touchdown, giving them a 40-36 lead.
Mesa had their chance to send the game into a 4th overtime but came up short on their own two-point conversion attempt, securing Southwestern's dramatic victory.
Silbor finished with an outstanding performance, completing 18 of 30 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 63 yards and another score. His favorite target was Clint Thomas Jr., who hauled in eight catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns, including scoring strikes of 69 and 28 yards.
For Mesa, Johnson threw for 175 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two scores. Southwestern running back Caleb Blocker led all rushers with 164 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. The Olympians were led on the ground by Devin Cerda's (El Camino) 61 rushing yards.
The victory kept Southwestern undefeated at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Mesa fell to 2-3 and 1-1 in league action.
Following the emotional victory, Southwestern safety Josh Ferrara, a former Grossmont High standout, reflected on the team's resilience.
"We hit some adversity and things hit the fan, but we came together as a family," Ferrara said. "That's what we teach over here. It's ubuntu - we're all one, we're all a family, we're all together, and that's how we live and play."
While acknowledging the team's perfect record, Ferrara made it clear that Southwestern's ambitions extend far beyond local success.
"We're not trying to be kings of the county. We're trying to be the best in the state, the best in the nation. Watch out for Southwestern this season."
The Jaguars now head into a bye week before facing Palomar, while the Olympians will also have a bye before hosting El Camino College in a rare Thursday night showdown.
SDSU Survives Defensive Battle at NIU, 6-3
Looking to ride the momentum of their blowout win over Cal, the San Diego State Aztecs edged the Northern Illinois Huskies 6-3 in a defensive slugfest at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.
The game featured just three scoring plays – all field goals – with neither team finding the end zone despite multiple red zone opportunities.
NIU struck first with a 31-yard field goal by Andrew Glass in the first quarter, capping a 16-play, 62-yard drive that consumed nearly eight minutes.
The Aztecs answered early in the second quarter when Gabriel Plascencia connected from 30 yards out to tie the game at 3-3, where it would remain until the final seconds.
SDSU managed just 266 total yards of offense but controlled the game on the ground behind Lucky Sutton's 88 rushing yards on 17 carries. The Aztecs defense was exceptional, limiting NIU to just 179 total yards and forcing two interceptions.
The winning score came with no time left on the clock as Plascencia nailed a 25-yard field goal to complete a seven-play, 49-yard drive in the final 1:44.
The victory improved SDSU to 3-1 on the season, while NIU dropped to 1-3.
Riverside 62, Palomar 49
In a high-scoring affair, Riverside quarterback Bryan Wilson threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Tigers past Palomar. Dominic Cox was Wilson's primary target with 14 catches for 232 yards and four touchdowns. Despite the loss, Palomar's Furious Hoskins had a monster game with eight catches for 291 yards and three touchdowns, including a spectacular 99-yard scoring reception.
Grossmont 31, Victor Valley 28
The Griffins held off a late Victor Valley rally to secure the victory. Grossmont quarterback Melvin Spicer IV completed 33 of 48 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
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