Tritons Tie Up Dana Hills

DANA POINT —  San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy and his staff agreed before Friday’s South Coast League opener against Dana Hills that, should the occasion arrive, the team would go for a tie following a touchdown late in the game.

Even though McElroy was tempted to go for two when Oscar Montecinos scored with 1:46 to play, he allowed Bentley Nekritz to kick the extra point and the Tritons tied Dana Hills, 28-28.

“I was going to do it, but they called timeout and changed their defense,” McElroy admitted.

In a game of dramatic momentum shifts, San Clemente (4-1-1, 0-0-1 in league) used a 13-play, 80-yard drive fueled by Montecinos who connected on three consecutive third-and-long situations.

Dana Hills (4-1-1, 0-0-1) had taken a 28-21 lead on Julio Peraza’s spectacular 83-yard run and subsequent two-point conversion with 7:22 to play. That run was Peraza’s third touchdown of the game and put him over 200 yards in the game. He finished with 204 yards in 30 carries.

San Clemente led, 14-6, at halftime behind James Allen’s six-yard run and Dylan Byrd’s three-yard run. But Peraza tied the score with a two-yard run that capped a 12-play, 55-yard drive. Jeremy Walker added the two-point conversion to tie the score.

But the Tritons took the momentum right back as Derek Fraser returned the kickoff 96 yards to make it 21-14.

Walker then scored on a one-yard run but the extra point was wide left, making it 21-20 San Clemente.

Montecinos led the San Clemente offense, rushing for 98 yards in 17 carries and completing six of 13 passes for 68 yards.