Rally Ends Too Soon for Rancho Santiago

SANTA ANA —  For a few minutes of the fourth quarter, Rancho Santiago was in the middle of a nifty comeback, but a couple of turnovers took the Dons out of it and they lost to Pasadena, 35-13, in a Mission Conference game Saturday at Santa Ana Stadium.

Rancho Santiago (1-1) trailed, 20-0, to start the fourth quarter, but rallied for a touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Gabe Garcia to Mark Flatten with 12 minutes 22 seconds left. The Dons then surprised Pasadena (2-0) with a on-side kick that was recovered by Rancho Santiago’s George Salazar.

Garcia drove the Dons to a first down at the Pasadena 14, but things went backward from there.

After a running play gained nothing, Flatten was called for offensive pass interference, making it third and 25 at the Pasadena 29. Garcia scrambled for five yards on third down, and nine on fourth, but Rancho Santiago turned the ball over on downs.

Pasadena ran three minutes off the clock then punted to the Rancho Santiago five with about three minutes left.

At that point, the Dons still had a slight chance.

But on the first play, Garcia missed a handoff and Pasadena’s Kelly Edwards recovered the fumble on the Rancho Santiago five. Troy Stephens ran for three yards on first down then scored from two yards out and Pasadena led, 28-7, with 2:53 left.

Pasadena’s final score came when Jesse Swayze intercepted a pass by backup quarterback Mister Albritton and took it 52 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Albritton rallied the Dons in the final minute and scored on a draw from 16 yards out with nine seconds left.

Rancho Santiago trailed, 14-0, at the half after missing three solid chances to score. Pasadena faked a punt, but the pass was incomplete on its first possession and the Dons took over at the Lancers’ 37. Rancho Santiago got to the 26, but a penalty took the Dons out of field-goal range and they had to punt.

The Dons’ again got good field position when Scott Nelson recovered a Pasadena fumble at Lancers’ 29. Rancho Santiago drove to the 24 this time, but again a penalty took the Dons out of field-goal range.

Pasadena took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown dive by Tracy McBride with 2:18 left in the first quarter. But Rancho Santiago got good field position again when Damascus Bell returned the kickoff 53 yards to the Pasadena 41.

This time the Dons attempted a field goal, but it was short.

Pasadena used a Rancho Santiago turnover to set up its final first-half touchdown. Garcia fumbled a snap and it was recovered at Rancho Santiago 11 by Peter Bodershot. On the next play, quarterback Edward Hervey completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Danny Kirby for a 14-0 lead with 4:06 left in the half.