Sultan defense rules in overtime victory

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 21, 2021

Santana's Ethan Wright carries on Friday night. / Ken Todd

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

SANTANA 10, CORONADO 7 (OT)

EastCountySports.com staff report

CORONADO – Once Santana and Coronado figured out that they were supposed to play a tiebreaking overtime on Friday night, it didn’t take long for the Sultans to finish off the Islanders in a season opener that featured strong defense.

After the Sultan defense held the Islanders on the first possession of the extra period, Santana junior Jackson Scott eventually kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game in the first overtime.

A scoreless game after three quarters, Coronado finally changed the scoreboard with a 22-yard touchdown pass with 8:21 left in the fourth period.

But the Sultans answered as if to say, “what took us so long,” as Dylan Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards by escaping an arm-tackle at the 35 that spun him around and appeared to propel him into another gear as Santana tied the game.

Santana’s Dylan Anderson goes up for the ball on Friday. / Ken Todd

Anderson also had an interception in the game, in which he returned 30 yards.

“Both Coronado and our offense would move the ball and then get stopped,” Santana head coach Tim Estes said. “Defense on both sides was pretty phenomenal. Coronado had some great tacklers who were very good at stuffing us.”

After a quick phone call to check on the overtime rules (we’re not kidding!), the Sultans won the toss and deferred in the college-style tiebreaker format with possession starting at the 25-yard line.

The Sultans sacked the Islanders on second down but Coronado nearly extended the drive on the next play, setting up a fourth-and-1 at the 16. However, a fourth-down attempt failed.

The Sultans drove down to just outside Coronado’s 5 and won the game on Scott’s left-footed boot.

“We hadn’t played in a tie game in a long time,” Estes said. “I had to call and check what the official rule was. They confirmed that, yes, we play into overtime.”

Santana’s Ethan Wright was thrust into the quarterback duties late due to an injury to the expected starter.

Santana managed 219 yards of total offense, including 157 of it from Wright, who completed 11-of-25 passes.

Junior Luke Nash rushed 15 times for 50 yards for Santana.

Jason Gonzalez caught three passes for 31 yards to lead the Sultan receivers. David Friedman also had three receptions, which went for 14 total yards.

Santana senior Logan Jorden recorded two sacks and had eight total tackles.

Santana and Coronado do battle on Friday night. / Ken Todd

“It felt great to win but it felt even better to close a game out like that,” Jorden said. “I am so proud of my boys knowing we to expect and we balled out. There’s no better feeling when you are able to count on others to make plays.”

Sultan senior Adler Osborn recorded five tackles.

Seniors Richard Santiago Jr. and Reese McDuffie both made four solo stops.

Senior return man Andrew Gomez has 67 yards, including an 18.5-yard average on a pair of punt runbacks.

“I was mad I couldn’t take my first kick all the way back,” said Gomez of a 29-yard kickoff return. “And I had a wide-open interception that I dropped in the fourth quarter but I’m ready to work and just keep getting better.”

The Islanders recorded three interceptions of their own.

In the first half, Coronado had an 88-yard TD run called back by penalty.

SUMMARY
SULTANS 10, ISLANDERS 7 (OT)

Santana (1-0)....  0  0  0  7  3 -- 10
Coronado (0-1)..   0  0  0  7  0 --  7

C – Myers 22 pass from Logan (PAT good)
S – D.Anderson 92 kickoff return (PAT good)
S – FG Scott 24

EAST COUNTY SPORTS ARCHIVES
PREP FOOTBALL
TIE and/or OT GAMES, 21st Century

Year

Regulation

Result

2002

2003
2005

2007
2008
2009
2010

St. Augustine 20, at El Capitan 20
SD-Southwest 20, at ECVHS 20
Steele Canyon 17, at Monte Vista 17
Valhalla 30, at Steele Canyon 30*
Helix 17, at Valhalla 17
Grossmont 23, at El Capitan 23
Monte Vista 14, at Grossmont 14
Santa Fe Christian 7, at Helix 7
Otay Ranch 19, at Helix 19
ECVHS 24, at West Hills 24
Grossmont 17, at Mira Mesa 17**

No overtime period
No overtime period
MV 27-20 (2 OTs)
SC 36-33 (OT)
No overtime period
No overtime period
No overtime period
No overtime period
No overtime period
WH 40-38 (4 OTs)
MM 24-17 (2OTs)

2012

2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

2019

S-21
F-21

Steele Canyon 49, at Valencia-Canyon Country 49
Classical 12, at Foothills Chr. 12
Patrick Henry 6, at Monte Vista 6
Christian 24, at University City 24
Christian 24, at rancis Parker 24**
Monte Vista 21, at Patrick Henry 21
Valhalla 17 at West Hills 17
Kearny 28, at ECVHS 28
Valley Center 21, Granite Hills 21
Chula Vista 21, Monte Vista 21**
Monte Vista 14, at Christian 14
Helix 14, St, Augsutine 14 (SWC)**
Herriman West Herriman, Utah 19,at Helix 19
Oceanside 19, at Steele Canyon 19**
Patrick Henry 31, at Madison 31
Santana 7, at Coronado 7

No overtime period

FC 19-16 (OT)
PH 9-6 (OT)
UC 32-31 (OT)
FP 27-24 (2 OTs)*
MV 28-21 (OT)
WH 23-20 (OT)
K 34-28 (OT)
GH 27-21 (OT)
MV 29-28 (OT)
Chr 22-21 (2 OTs)
SA 21-20 (OT)
WH 26-19 (OT)

Oce 26-19 (OT)

Mad 39-38 (2 OTs)
San 10-7 OT(

2000-11: Overtime (the “CIF Tiebreaker”) is played only if both teams are in the same CIF division, and is used to determine playoff seeds, if necessary. Otherwise, these games are officially ties.
9-13-2002: Both occurred on the same day
9-28:2012: Steele Canyon, Foothills Christian, and Monte Vista were on the same day. Also, the CIFSDS enacted “no ties” rule, but Steele Canyon’s game was in the4 CIF Southern Section, and although offered to play OT, the Cougars elected to decline and take the tie; set state record for the highest-scoring draw.
*Steele Canyon home game played at Grossmont HS
**CIF-SDS Playoff Game