PHOTOS: Marina captures overtime win over Beckman and earns share of league title

Marina players and coaches pose for a team photo after defeating Beckman 27-24 in two overtimes Friday night at Boswell Field. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone.

With the Lambda League title on the line Friday night at Westminster High School, the stakes couldn’t have been higher for the Beckman and Marina football teams and the game wasn’t decided until the final play.

Vikings quarterback Garrett Hunnicutt scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in double overtime to give Marina a 27-24 win over Beckman. Marina’s win propels the Vikings into a three-way tie for the league championship along with Beckman and Kennedy, who defeated Sunny Hills on Friday. Marina’s win allow the Vikings to claim back-to-back league titles.

Beckman clinched its second league title last week and its first since 2011.

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“We had a miscommunication on the handoff on the final play (me and Gabe Carles) but we got it done,” said Hunnicutt, who said he was supposed to hand the ball off to Carles, but the two bumped into each other, and Hunnicutt recovered and barreled off tackle into the end zone for the winning score. “The crowd was so loud and supportive. They really picked us up.”

The Vikings (9-1, 4-1) turned the ball over six times in the game, yet amazingly, were still in the hunt. With under five minutes to play, Marina went on a 75-yard, 15-play scoring drive that ended with Hunnicutt tossing an 11-yard TD pass to Shane Cassidy with 58 seconds remaining in regulation, trimming the lead to 14-12.

Hunnicutt then completed a two-point conversion pass to Carles who made a diving catch in the end zone to tie the game at 14. 

In the first OT, Carles scored on a two-yard TD run to give the Vikings a 21-14 lead. However, Beckman responded with a three-yard touchdown run by Nick Fernandez to tie the score at 21-21.

In the second overtime, the Patriots had the ball first, but their drive stalled at the eight-yard line. Beckman settled for a 25-yard field goal by Gui DeLuca and led 24-21.

Marina then was faced with a fourth and 13, but miraculously Hunnicutt completed a 25-yard pass play to Cassidy who eluded his defender and reached the 3-yard line. Three plays later, Hunnicutt scored, and the Marina players, coaches and fans went wild.

“The defender was pressing me man on man, so the coach told me to run a post to the corner,” said Cassidy, who caught three passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns.  “Even when we were behind, we had faith in each other to come back. I’m really enthusiastic.”

Vikings Coach Charlie TeGantvoort was ecstatic.

“It’s been a long while since Marina has won back-to-back titles,” said TeGantvoort.  “We did everything wrong tonight except win. We turned the ball over six times, but it shows you how much heart and toughness these guys have. We had a lot of injuries to the defensive line and so we had a lot of guys playing out of position, especially Brandon Atchison, Jake Russell, Riley Dolloff and Talon Acosta but they were outstanding.”

Marina shot itself in the foot three times in the opening half as the Vikings had three passes intercepted, two in the red zone. Beckman defensive back Noah Czaykowski had two interceptions and Sawyer Nickleson had a pick.

Following the Vikings first turnover in the opening quarter, Beckman moved the ball 94 yards in 10 plays to get on the scoreboard first. The key play on the drive was a 48-yard pass play from quarterback Noah Nam to Noah Czaykowski, who caught a short pass, broke several tackles and raced to the Vikings 18-yard line. Five plays later, Drexel Gibson scored on a three-yard run to give Beckman a 7-0 lead.

But the Vikings rebounded, and following a Patriots punt, Marina marched 70 yards in seven plays for a score. Hunnicutt completed a 54-yard TD pass to Cassidy, who made an excellent catch and cleverly darted down the sideline the final 25 yards for the touchdown at the 5:39 mark of the second quarter. However, the Marina PAT was blocked and the Vikings trailed 7-6.  

Marina’s misfortune continued as the Vikings fumbled the second half kickoff. The Patriots took over at the 33-yard line and three plays later took a 14-6 lead after Makhi Czaykowski’s 6-yard TD run. Marina fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Beckman recovered.  However, the Patriots missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

Noah Czaykowski notched his third interception of the game early in the fourth quarter stopping another Marina drive and setting the stage for a wild fourth quarter and overtime.

Carles carried the ball 26 times for 101 yards and a TD and Hunnicutt completed 10 passes for 170 yards and two TDs for Marina. Hunnicutt also rushed for 54 yards.

Noah Nam completed 13 passes for 120 yards and Makhi Czaykowski rushed for 68 yards on 11 carries and a TD. Noah Czaykowski caught eight passes for 105 yards for the Patriots, in addition to his three interceptions.

“They made a few more plays than we did late in the game and that’s the difference,” said Beckman Coach Marcelo Giuliano, who is in his 10^th year as coach of Beckman.  “I’m proud of this bunch of players. They were here when we were 1-9 and 2-8. They could have stopped and quit, but they stuck it out because their goal was to win a league championship. Being around this group is exhilarating.”