Sunny Hills kicker who hit game-winning 46-yard field goal was ‘waiting for this moment’

Mathias Brown kicks a 46-yard field goal with 1:07 remaining to give Sunny Hills a 17-15 victory over El Modena Friday night. The holder is Max Spero. (Photo courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone)

One person’s dream can easily be someone else’s nightmare.

That was the case Friday night at Buena Park High when Mathias Brown’s 46-year field goal with 1:07 gave Sunny Hills a heart-pounding 17-15 victory over a visiting El Modena team that had victory in its grasp right up to the point Brown’s right foot hit the football.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Brown said. “I’ve practiced and practiced. I kicked on the sideline while the offense was on the field and when they called for a field goal, I was ready.”

As euphoric as the win was for the Lancers, it was at least equally devastating for the Vanguards.

Twice El Modena had first downs inside the 10 and came away empty. The first golden opportunity, with Sunny Hills leading, 14-7, came in the final seconds of the first half when Sunny Hills’ safety Miguel Barrios intercepted a Vanguard pass in the end zone.

The second came at the start of the fourth quarter with El Modena leading, 15-14. The Vanguard had the ball inside the Lancer 10 when this drive stalled and a 25-yard field goal attempt on fourth down hit the left upright and dropped to the ground.

Sunny Hills got the ball back with 8:16 to play and began a time-consuming methodical drive up field, a drive that was aided significantly by a 15-yard targeting penalty on El Modena.

Sunny Hills reached the El Modena 25 with less than two minutes to play when the Vanguard defense blew up a Lancer third-down play, setting the stage for Brown’s heroics.

The field goal team was on the field quickly, the snap was perfect, holder Max Spero set the ball and Brown had the opportunity to live out his dream of kicking a game-winning field goal.

As always seems in moments such as this, suddenly everything went into slow motion. Brown’s kick seemed to be in the air for an eternity and when it reached the goal posts it sailed through perfectly, with distance to spare. Bedlam for the Lancers, devastation for the Vanguards.

Brown’s ensuing kickoff, as had his previous three, sailed into the end zone, negating any chance of a return and El Modena had the ball at its own 25 with 1:07 to play and only one timeout.

That drive reached midfield before time expired. El Modena scored when Jack Keyes threw a 9-yard TD pass to Mayson Hitchens but that lead lasted about 20 seconds after Lancer David Mahood took the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a tying score.

Sunny Hills built its lead to 14-7 later in the quarter when Dylan Lawson made a leaping end zone catch of a 23-yard Spero pass.

The Lancers managed to hold that lead through much of the third quarter before the wheels came off, momentarily. A poor snap on a punt gave El Modena the ball on the Lancer 7.

Owen Smith, the game’s leading rusher with more than 100 yards, scored a play later behind El Modena’s massive line that included Esteban Choucair (245 pounds), Dylan Conner (265), Elisah Jackett (250) and Michael Anyala (265). When Sunny Hills lined up in the neutral zone on the extra point, El Modena took advantage and Smith ran for the 2-point conversion and a 15-14 lead.

“We’re proud of our kids for battling back against a good, physical team,” Lancer coach Pete Karavedas said. “We are over the moon proud of our kids

“We have a saying,” ‘Give It a Go’

“When things go wrong, when things get difficult, what do you say? Do you say ‘I’m defeated’ or do you say ‘Give it a Go.’ Our kids gave it a go tonight.”

In defeat, El Modena accomplished one feat that perhaps no other team can claim in the last five years, at least … keeping the Lancer ground game out of the end zone.

In the past six seasons, counting three games this year, the Lancer double-wing offense has accumulated 195 rushing scores.

For earlier game story, please click here.

—Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone