Herrera drills winning field goal as Warren holds off O'Connor

With his team clinging on to late lead Friday, Warren coach Matthew Arrufat didn’t know what to expect as his team battled to stave off O’Connor.

In their three wins prior, the Warriors hadn’t been tasked with a matchup decided in its final minutes.

And it looked like that would be the case again Friday as Warren led by two touchdowns with 5:50 left in the game. However, the Panthers stormed back thanks to a handful of miscues from the Warriors, tying the game with under two minutes remaining.

For Warren quarterback Mac Anderson that was plenty of time.

The senior drove his team into field goal position and kicker Ryden Herrera finished off the Panthers, drilling a 37-yard game-winner with 17 seconds left to lift Warren over O’Connor 31-28 at the Dub Farris Athletic Complex.

“I’m just really proud of the fact they fought all the way to the end,” Arrufat said. “That’s something we really haven’t shown this year so far -having the ability to fight for four quarters. Obviously, O’Connor gave us everything they could. It was a great game, could have gone either way. We’re just happy to come out on top.”

Warren (4-3, 3-2 District 29-6A) struck first on its first drive as Anderson passed five times for 45 yards, including the 17-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Kevin Phoenix on a wheel route.

On the ensuing Panthers’ possession, the Warriors forced another quick punt. Facing pressure, Anderson connected with running back Donevin Thornton on a screen pass. Thornton muscled through a tackler and followed his lead blockers all the way down to the O’Connor 9-yard line for a 41-yard gain. On the next play, Thornton took an inside zone rush and bounced it out to his right for an untouched 3-yard touchdown.

After yet another punt, O’Connor (3-3, 2-2 29-6A) needed a takeaway to inject some life into the team. Warren gifted them possession, and premier field position with a botched snap on a punt, setting the Panthers up at the Warriors’ 13-yard line. O’Connor running back Wyatt McKenzie took a direct snap out to his left before making a sharp cut back inside and pounding his way across the goal line for the Panthers’ first score of the night with 1:51 left in the first quarter.

Warren responded early in the second quarter by marching down the field and reestablishing a two-possession lead off a 2-yard end zone fade from Anderson to wide receiver Julius Daniel.

“He played like the senior captain that he is,” Arrufat said of Anderson. “I’m really happy for him.”

Both sides exchanged scoreless drives before O’Connor cut into its deficit. On third down, quarterback Wade Carpenter hit tight end Luke Rigby up the left seam, where Rigby absorbed a pair of hits and strolled in for the 34-yard score.

Warren went up 28-14 in the third quarter on a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Daniel. After a Panthers’ turnover-on-downs, Anderson was intercepted by defensive back Evan Balboa, setting up another long touchdown from Carpenter to Rigby.

A successful onside kick swung momentum onto O’Connor’s side, but Warren’s defense kept battling. The Warriors eventually forced another turnover-on-downs but quickly returned to the field after a fumble from Daniel. Again, they stifled the Panthers and forced a possession change.

“Our defense performed amazing, Anderson said. “Whenever we messed up, they had our backs. And whenever they messed up, we had their backs. That’s how it goes in football.”

McKenzie punched in the game-tying score, 28-28, for O’Connor with 1:54 left. But Anderson and the Warriors never blinked, and the team embraced on the sideline as Herrera’s go-ahead kick cleared the crossbar.

“Man, it felt amazing,” Anderson said. “I love winning.”

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This article originally published at Herrera drills winning field goal as Warren holds off O’Connor.