PHOTOS: Field goal in final seconds lifts Calvary Chapel past Estancia in league thriller

Jett Rauch (left) and Waldo Castrejon led Calvary Chapel to a victory Thursday night. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Calvary Chapel’s football team couldn’t have asked for a better finish to its homecoming celebration Thursday night in a Sigma League showdown with Estancia at Segerstrom.

Junior place-kicker Jett Rauch kicked a 35-yard field goal with 18 seconds left to put the Eagles ahead and star senior running back Waldo Castrejon, who helped set up the winning drive, intercepted a pass on defense in the final seconds to lift Calvary Chapel to a 17-16 victory.

Castrejon, who was named homecoming king at halftime (Kalia Demeis was the queen) wound up with 120 yards on 17 carries to help the Eagles move into first place. Ocean View (1-0) plays Santa Ana Valley Friday night.

Calvary Chapel (7-0, 2-0) led 14-10 at halftime before Estancia (5-2, 1-1) moved ahead 16-14 in the third quarter.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

“Last year we had so many one-point losses, two years in a row one point (losses) to Estancia,” said Calvary Chapel Coach Jack McInally. “We had to learn how to win, but tonight we had to learn how to be champions, and that’s what we did. We had adversity. Shout out to Estancia’s defense, they played lights out, they did a ton of things to try and rattle Colin (quarterback Wiles) but he’s a sophomore and he’s going to get better.”

Calvary Chapel was able to avenge last year’s 15-14 overtime loss to Estancia.

Estancia’s defense was tough for most of the game, recording four interceptions, three by Brandon Bettinghausen, but Calvary Chapel still had a chance to come back and win on its final drive.

The Eagles took over on their own 35-yard with a little over six minutes left.

Wiles, who passed for 87 yards, stepped up when he had to during the final drive.

Wiles connected with Daniel Nieves on a 9-yard pass play on fourth down to extend the drive and move the ball to the Estancia 48-yard line. Then, Castrejon had some key gains to help advance the ball to the Estancia 18- yard line to set up the game winning field goal by Rauch.

“It was pretty nerve wracking, I felt pretty good when I went up there, but by the snap, I was really nervous,” Rauch said. “I trusted my teammates and it went through. That was my biggest field goal by far. My team just kept running the ball getting it down there for me. We knew it was going to come down to that.”

Rauch also credited holder Mikah Moreno.

“He’s the best,” Rauch said.

Castrejon was also excited about the win.

“Thank the Lord for helping us comeback and bring us back into this game and we wouldn’t win it if it wasn’t for Jett right here,” Castrejon said. “We went into the second half and wanted to comeback and make sure we could establish the run game and make sure we could shut down their’s and I think that’s what we did here. I’m at a loss for words, I can’t believe we beat them. All I can say is thank the Lord for where we are and giving us all the coaching and resources we have today.”

Calvary Chapel’s Jorge Brito also had an interception at the end of the first half to end a drive for Estancia.

Estancia was led by running back Jeff Brown, who had 109 yards rushing, nearly all coming in the first half.

The Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on a 25-yard field goal by Juan Silva. But on the ensuing kickoff sophomore Chaz White raced 88 yards for a score to put Calvary Chapel ahead 7-3.

Estancia regained the lead later in the quarter, 10-7, on 8-yard TD run by Brown.

The Eagles had a chance to add to their lead later in the quarter when they drove to the Calvary Chapel 2-yard line. But the drive stalled and following a high snap to quarterback Kai Bargas, Calvary Chapel recovered at the 27.

White scored on direct snap from six yards out in the second quarter to give Calvary Chapel a 14-10 lead.

Estancia regained the lead 16-14 when Bargas (the son of head coach Mike Bargas) connected with Bennett Molica on an 81-yard catch and run for a TD in the third quarter. Estancia could not convert the kick, leaving the door open for the Calvary Chapel comeback.

Bargas wound up passing for 109 yards.

The stands were packed on the Calvary Chapel side for the showdown.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com