NOVATO, Calif. - After a thrilling four quarters, San Marin managed to emerge victorious with a game-winning field goal in overtime from sophomore Jordan Kennedy to win 17-14 over visiting Casa Grande.
Mustang quarterback Matthew Sargent led his team to an exciting victory with 35 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns, one of which came on fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter and tied the game at 14 to set the stage for the extra period.
After Sargent tied the game, Casa Grande (1-2) got the ball on San Marin's 46-yard line and drove in the red zone in the final minute, where the Gauchos appeared to be getting a look at a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation. Casa actually drove all the way down to the Mustangs' four-yard line, but an offensive pass interference penalty pushed them back to the 19-yard line, where a stiff wind helped make the decision to go for the touchdown, and the pass was broken up in the end zone to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Casa Grande's fourth-down pass skipped off the turf in front of the end zone, meaning all the Mustangs needed was any type of score to win the game. Enter Kennedy, who nailed a 38-yard field goal on his first varsity attempt of his career.
“When you play all season, you expect your team to be ready for close games and intense situations like these," said San Marin coach Dominic DiMare.
DiMare's son, Dante, was one of the bright spots in the game for San Marin. He ran for 116 yards on 29 carries to help the Mustangs (2-1) overcome a 14-0 deficit, after Casa Grande scored twice in the first quarter. Will Hickey had four catches for 35 yards in the game, the entire total through the air for San Marin.
Casa Grande’s big beginning lead was led by their quarterback, Miguel Robertson, along with good field position, as both scoring drives started on the San Marin side of the field. He finished the game with 95 passing yards, while Matt Herrera ran for 103 yards in the loss.
San Marin looks to continue its momentum next week against Terra Linda, while Casa Grande looks to bounce back against Maria Carrillo.
