The Pitman High School varsity football team suffered a heartbreaking defeat Friday night, coming up short 29-28 against the Pleasant Grove High School Eagles in a thrilling game that went into triple overtime.
The Pride came into the matchup with a record of 1-1, looking to overcome their second week’s loss to Lincoln High School in which they saw the lead slip from their grip multiple times. This week, Pitman went ahead three times during the game, only for Pleasant Grove to come back and snatch the lead back again – twice during the regular gameplay, and once in overtime.
The Pride was able to draw first blood in the game’s first quarter – a one-play scoring drive featuring a 58-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Treyton Fair to Tyler Stout. Their 7-0 lead was quickly cut short with sixteen seconds left in the quarter when Pleasant Grove’s Oliver Gates brought home a 91-yard pass from Dane Kaiser, and thanks to a successful two-point conversion, the Eagles charged into the second quarter ahead 8-7.
Pitman’s defense kept Pleasant Grove from scoring for the remainder of the half, but the Pride offense was just as quiet. With the score still 8-7 in the final four minutes of the third quarter, the Pride was forced to punt on their own 28-yard line. The kick was blocked and recovered by Pleasant Grove in Pitman’s end zone, extending the Eagles’ lead to 15-7.
The Pride’s Carlos Martinez answered back by recording a touchdown of his own – a fumble at the end of his teammate Antonio Reyes’ two-yard rush into the end zone. A missed point after attempt put Pitman back 15-13 at the end of the third.
Fair and running back Jakob Partida worked together to put the Pride back on top just three minutes into the fourth quarter. Fair’s 37-yard touchdown screen pass to Partida brought the score to 19-15, and a successful two-point conversion ran into the end zone by the quarterback put Pitman ahead 21-15.
On their ensuing drive, the Eagles pushed the Pride back all the way to their own 19-yard line. With time running down in the fourth quarter, Pleasant Grove made the gutsy move to go for the first down on fourth and 11. An 11-yard pass from Kaiser to Tyler Williams-Cescato appeared to be a first down at first, but after measuring, the chain gang found the ball to be just centimeters away from the first down marker. Pitman took over on downs, heading into the final two minutes of the game with it seemingly in their favor.
Almost immediately, the Eagles responded with a one-play drive of their own. Kaiser connected with Williams-Cescato once more – this time, a devastating 49-yard pass to make the score 21-21. To take the lead, all Pleasant Grove needed was a successful point after kick. Two unsportsmanlike conduct calls made the attempt more difficult, and the Eagles missed the kick from 34 yards away.
Tied 21-21, the game headed into overtime.
Pitman’s first overtime possession, which began from the 10-yard line going toward the end zone, resulted in a 22-yard field goal attempt that went wide left. Pleasant Grove’s own first possession of overtime ended with a blocked field goal.
Still tied 21-21, the game headed into double overtime.
This time, Pleasant Grove got the ball first, and after two-play attempt to get into the end zone, they were forced to attempt another field goal. This one wasn’t blocked by the Pride, but bounced off of the goal’s left post. Pitman answered with their own two-play drive, which ended unsuccessfully with a 31-yard field goal attempt.
Still tied 21-21, the game headed into triple overtime.
The Pride showed hard in the game’s final moments, with Stout scoring on a ten-yard rush into the end zone. The point after made it 28-21, and Pitman could almost taste the win. But, Pleasant Grove still had one more shot to score and made the most of it, with Kaiser tossing a 10-yard bullet to Terrell Littlejohn.
With the score 28-27, still in Pitman’s favor, Pleasant Grove successfully completed a two-point conversion to end the game, 29-28.
Fair finished the game with 235 total yards and two touchdowns, and Partida ended the night with 145 total yards and one touchdown.
The Pride is now 1-2, and will take on Jesuit High School in Carmichael next week at 4:30 p.m.
