Cal Shocks Monte Vista With Late Comeback

Kevin Farley found Blake Guardino on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds left to pull California High within a point of host Monte Vista at 24-23. 

Play for overtime or go for the win?

"It was an easy call for me," Cal coach Eric Billeci said.

Not only did the Grizzlies go for it, they went to the same play they just ran — and again, Farley hit Guardino on a slant to give Cal a 25-24 win.

It marked the first time in the long-standing series between the schools that the Grizzlies won back-to-back contests, coming on the heels of a 45-3 win last year.

The final drive was a masterful performance by the first-year starter, Farley. Cal (5-0) took over at its own 22-yard line with about a minute, 20 seconds left in the game.

He completed 5 of 7 passes for 78 yards on the drive — four to Guardino — as Cal fought to stay undefeated. 

"I knew we could do it," Farley said. "I have the utmost confidence in all our guys."

A squib kick following Cal's touchdown, plus a 15-yard penalty against the Grizzlies set the Mustangs (2-3) up with first down at Cal 47. Quarterback Jeff Lockie hit Dan Scritchfield for a 10-yard gain, but a 55-yard field goal try for the win fell short, sending the Cal sideline into a frenzy.

For most of the game, it looked like the Mustangs, led by Oregon-bound quarterback Jeff Lockie, were going to celebrate homecoming with a win. Lockie threw for 173 yards, ran for 53 and scored on a pair of touchdown runs in the first half.

"We couldn't contain Lockie," Billeci said. 

A 47-yard touchdown pass from Lockie to Scritchfield put Monte Vista ahead with 6:31 left in the first, but Cal's Armani Washington returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. A 45-yard field goal from Makay Redd followed by a 5-yard run from Lockie had Monte Vista up 17-7 until just before the half, when Cal's Brandon Brown hit a 23-yarder as time expired. 

Lockie's second score put the Mustangs up 24-10, at which point it looked like they could run away with it. 

After Timmy Mertes made a great play to wrestle the ball away from a receiver to give Cal the ball midway through the fourth, the Grizzlies started on a potential game-tying drive. 

As Cal marched the ball downfield, Farley was hit as he threw and Monte Vista lineman Andrew Stanton came up with an interception. A few first downs could have run out the clock for Monte Vista, but it was forced to punt and Cal took advantage with its game-winning drive.

Cal will host San Ramon Valley, a 38-31 winner against Granada, next week, while the Mustangs will travel to up-and-coming Livermore.  

Farley completed 14 of 25 passes for 249 yards, Jerrell Dunn ran for 61 yards on seven carries and Guardino caught six passes for 62 yards. 

Monte Vista running back Zack Chang ran for 149 yards on 27 carries. 

———————————————

Follow Kyle Bonagura on Twitter