Portola football team earns share of league title with 29-26 overtime win over Dana Hills

Portola’s football team takes the field for a game earlier this season. (File photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Portola High’s football team clinched at least a share of the Pacific Hills League title with a 29-26 victory in overtime over Dana Hills on the road Friday night.

The Bulldogs can win the outright league title of the abbreviated spring season with a victory over Laguna Hills next Friday at Portola. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in league play, Dana Hills is 1-1 and will be 2-1 after getting a forfeit win from Northwood next week. Laguna Hills is 1-1.

Sophomore Tyler McMullen kicked a field goal in the overtime to put the Bulldogs ahead. Then, Portola’s defense made big defensive stops to seal the win.

“Dana Hills was a tough, quality opponent,” said Portola Coach Peter Abe. “It came down to a few plays here and there and was exactly what you want in a high school football game. Two teams battled for four quarters.

“We made only one more play than they did. It was an even match-up for most of the game. I’m excited for the future of Bulldog football and so proud of our guys, these seniors for building strength to endure, being admirable models of perseverance and finishing the job when we needed them the most. Excited for our community and and proud to say this group of seniors can say they protected the Pedigree.”

Portola won its first Pacific Coast League title in 2019. The league was broken up into two four-team leagues as part of the Pacific Coast Conference.