Rebels thwart Stars' game-tying conversion
| Saturday, Oct 24 2009 12:21 AM
Last Updated Saturday, Oct 24 2009 12:21 AM
South High took the Battle of the Swords with a 28-26 win against North in the 49th Civil War game at Rebel Stadium on Friday.
Dontay Carrillo charged in for a 22-yard touchdown to get North within two late in the game, but a tenacious Rebels defense slammed the door on a two-point conversion, preserving South's slim lead.
South's Ritchie Maestre blocked an extra point midway through the third quarter, giving the Rebels a one-point cushion and ultimately forcing North to go for two.
The Stars (1-6, 0-4 SWYL) struck early when quarterback Juan Rodriquez sprinted 55 yards up the sideline and into the end zone, giving the Stars a 7-0 lead with 11:24 left in the first.
South (5-2, 1-2 SWYL) knotted it up when running back Lee West took a short pass and scrambled into the end zone for the score, his first of the night.
Midway through the second, Rodriguez hooked up over the middle with running back Nathan Vlach for a 45-yard touchdown toss as North regained a 14-7 lead.
The Rebels' Lee West put on a running clinic, scoring his second touchdown when he cut across the field, breaking tackles before shooting up the middle for a 48-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14.
After South forced North to a three-and-out, Lee West found a wide-open Maestre for a 30-yard touchdown pass to put the Rebels up 21-14 at the half.
South recovered a fumble inside the North 25-yard line and quarterback Roger Hebert punched in a 1-yard touchdown to make it a two-score game late in the third.
