SACRAMENTO — The calm and pleasant conditions from the first day of the state football championships were swept away Saturday, replaced by howling and ferocious winds that forced California Interscholastic Federation officials to remove anything that could blow away and pose a safety hazard, including the benches on each sideline.
Under this unusual backdrop on an otherwise cloudless afternoon at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium, St. Francis became the second West Catholic Athletic League team to win a state championship in as many days, beating Grace Brethren-Simi Valley 22-13 in the 2-A final.
St. Francis got off to a slow start, gaining just one first down in the opening quarter, but erased an early touchdown deficit on Reed Vettel’s 29-yard pass to Evan J Williams and Lucas Andrighetto’s two-point completion to Junior Fehoko.
The 8-7 lead widened to 15-7 in the second quarter when an electrifying 26-yard run by Darrell Page set up a 1-yard plunge by fullback Opeti Fangupo.
Grace Brethren answered a short time later despite moving into the teeth of the wind.
Of course, it helped that busted coverage in the St. Francis secondary left receiver Jermel Jones all alone in the middle of the field.
Jones caught Michael Zele’s pass and coasted to the end zone, the 72-yard play cutting St. Francis’ lead to 15-13. Grace Brethren’s two-play pass to even the score failed.
St. Francis turned to its defense in the second half and it came through in championship fashion.
A sack by Tyler Manoa and Joshua Pakola near the end zone set up the exclamation point for St. Francis, a 3-yard pass in the corner of the end zone that made it 22-13 with 1:52 to go.
Andrighetto’s interception with 59 seconds left iced the game.
St. Francis joined Serra as state champs from the WCAL. The Padres won the 2-AA title Friday night.
Check back soon for updates.
