Game of the Week: Mt. Carmel 39, Del Norte 33 (OT)
On a night where the 2014 Silver Pigskin finalists were announced, it was a potential 2015 nominee who delivered one of the season’s finest performances and a play that will assuredly make the end-of-the-season highlight reels.
Lucas Johnson accounted for 5 total touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime to Rashid Shaheed, as Mt. Carmel defeated a game Del Norte squad 39-33 in the first round of the CIF Division II playoffs.
The action didn’t start in earnest until the second quarter, as the scoring opened with a Parker Lappin 65-yard touchdown to Montrice Johns, who despite his size, showed some quickness as he eluded the Sundevil defense on his way to the end zone. The vaunted Nighthawk run game got going on their next drive, with Kayden Clements scoring on a 20-yard scamper that gave Del Norte a 14-0 advantage.
But Lucas Johnson was just getting warmed up for host Mt. Carmel; a 1-yard touchdown run by Johnson was followed by a 22-yard touchdown to Rashid Shaheed to bring the Sundevils to within 14-13 as the two teams went to halftime.
Clements would get a second score to give the Visitors a quick 20-13 lead in the third, and a seemingly backbreaking pick-six by Nathan Marin gave Del Norte a two-score lead that silenced the rowdy Mt. Carmel crowd. But like Lucas Johnson says on his Twitter account, Superman comes out on Friday nights. His second touchdown was the final scoring play of the third, a 16-yard run that brought the life back to the home sideline.
His third ground score brought the game back within one point to 27-26, but a long Del Norte drive ended with a tiptoe touchdown catch to Marco Young. One long drive deserves another, however, as the ensuing Mt. Carmel drive ended on a Jaylen Jones 5-yard score. Johnson would get the ball back with under a minute to play, but a fumble on third down would make sure the game went to overtime.
Del Norte received the first possession and could not deliver, as a Grayson Farmham 43-yard field goal attempt did not have the leg to split the uprights. That left the ball in Johnson’s hands with a chance to win and advance; what happened next needed to be seen to be believed.
Following a holding penalty that pushed the ball back to the 26 yard line, Johnson took the snap and eluded several defenders while managing to stay in bounds. After he came back to the near side of the field, he planted his feet and uncorked a prayer to a wide-open Rashid Shaheed, who came back to get the ball and crossed the goal line to end the game at the manic delight of the Sundevil fans.
Del Norte ends their season with a 5-6 record; Mt. Carmel will play at undefeated El Capitan next week in the Division II quarterfinals.
