JESUS CANO
Prep2Prep Adult Contributor

November 4, 2019

PITTSBURG — If any outsider ever doubted the magnitude of this rivalry, the 2019 Big Little Game edition certainly put those critics to rest.

The rivalry between next door neighbors Pittsburg and Antioch dates back to 101 games. In the traditional Saturday afternoon game, each sideline had a different story.

“We kept the penalties down, I know what these guys are capable of,” said Antioch head coach John Lucido. “At the end of the day this is their team for the rest of their lives.”

On one side, Pittsburg entered the game 8-1, and securing a share of the Bay Valley Athletic League title. Meanwhile, Antioch was on a polar opposite spectrum, coming off a tough and controversial loss to Freedom. The team that had the No. 1 seed in the NCS Division I championship in 2018 had a disastrous season.

But the Panthers' performance said otherwise on Saturday and stunned many, playing its best game of the season but still coming up short to Pittsburg, 42-41.

The moment both teams made their arrival, the energy inside Pirate Stadium was strong enough to light up both East County towns. And it powered through into the first quarter with five touchdowns being scored.

After an unsuccessful first drive for both teams, Pittsburg turned on the jets after recovering an Antioch fumble, finishing a quick 42-yard drive with an Avant Muldrow five-yard touchdown run. Antioch fired back quickly with a nice kick return by Dwight Turner, essentially setting himself up for a 33-yard touchdown run, tying the game.

It only got more wild from there. Jerry Johnson continued his trend of breaking records, this time hitting Brian Pierce Jr. for an 80-yard touchdown pass, making it the longest touchdown pass in the Big Little Game’s history. Coincidentally, the previous record involved current Pittsburg quarterbacks coach Juan Corral.

DeJuan Butler quickly countered with a 77-yard touchdown run tying the game at 14, but an 82-yard return on the ensuing kickoff by Pierce gave Pittsburg the 21-14 edge heading into the first quarter.

Pierce really wasn’t too sure what this game was all about, having played at El Cerrito High School before transferring to Pittsburg. He balled out, with 358 total yards and three touchdowns.

“It felt like a big rivalry game and it made me feel like I’ve been here for four years,” said Pierce. “We have a positive team. Nobody on our teams gets down in tough situations. We get over and its on to the next play.”

Johnson hit freshman Rashid Williams for a 23-yard touchdown pass to extend Pittsburg’s lead, and an unorthodox two point conversion gave Pittsburg some well needed breathing room. Antioch was able to cut the lead with Rocco Borrelli hitting Butler for a 26-yard touchdown pass. There were no points put up in the third quarter but Antioch lost Butler to an injury, a key piece of Antioch for the past three seasons.

A 19-yard touchdown run by Muldrow provide insurance for Pittsburg, but it was short lived as an attempted pooch kick landed in the hands of Donovan Fells, and he saw nothing by daylight, taking it to the house to put Antioch within one touchdown.

Antioch later tied it up with Borrelli hitting Jaysn Wade for 15 yards.

But in his first touches of the game, Santino Chavez cooked up a drive that ended in another Pierce touchdown reception to take the lead 42-35.

Wade then showed off in special teams, returning a kick to the 18, laying the blue print for Antioch’s most important drive of the season. Cameron Wright scored after a couple plays on a two-yard touchdown run. Rather than kicking the ball, Antioch went for two points but Borrelli’s pass fell incomplete.

Antioch’s season came to an end but Pittsburg officially secured sole possession of the BVAL title. The Pirates now turned their heads to the playoffs, where this publication predicts they will be seeded No. 2 in the NCS DI bracket.