PHOTOS: Turnovers plague Cypress, which falls to Temecula Valley 28-21 in title game

Cypress quarterback Dylan Eldredge hands off to Isaac Hurtado during Friday’s game. (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman For OC Sports Zone)

It was a rough start for Cypress High’s football team and an even tougher ending.

The Centurions put up a battle but Temecula Valley was able to capitalize on three fumbles and an interception to capture a 28-21 victory over the Centurions in the Division 7 championship game in front of an estimated 6,000 fans at Western High Friday night.

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Cypress Coach Rick Feldman was hoping he could be celebrating with his players but after Friday’s game, Feldman was lining up with the other coaches to hug his dejected players and congratulate them on a 13-1 season.

“Too many mistakes against a good team,” Feldman said. “Too many to overcome. I was hoping if it didn’t go our way I was hoping it would be because we played really well and it wasn’t good enough and unfortunately we didn’t play really well and we barely lost, so it makes it a little tougher to swallow.”

It was a dramatic final few minutes. First, Cypress Cory Anesi recovered a fumble on a punt return by Temecula Valley. Cypress got possession on its own 15-yard line with a chance to get the go-ahead score.

But on a third-and-six, the Centurions fumbled and Temecula Valley recovered.

Two plays later, wide reciver Abe Flores took a direct snap hooked up with Anson Pulsipher on a 17-yard TD pass to put Temecula Valley ahead 28-21 with 41 seconds left.

“It was something we worked on the last couple of weeks,” said Temecula Valley Coach Bert Esposito. “We were waiting for the right time to use. It was our Rambo set. It was a great call and great completion.”

Cypress got to the Temeula Valley 44 yard line but could not get any closer as time ran out.

The start was shaky for the Centurions. On Cypress opening series, the Centurions fumbled the handoff on the first play and Pulsipher scooped it up and scampered 11 yards for a score.

The Centurions star running back back Isaac Hurtado scored on a 7-yard TD run with 6:32 left in the second quarter to tie the game 7-7.

But Temecula Valley answered back behind the rushing of Brody Hughes, who led his team with 119 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Hughes scored on a 10-yard TD run in the second quarter and a 5-yard run in the third quarter to put Temecual Valley up 21-7.

But Cypress battled back in the final stanza with light rain falling. Quarterback Dylan Eldredge hooked up with Elijah Vaieula on a 70-yard TD pass and Hurtado scored on a 1-yard run with 6:37 left to tie it.

But in the end, Temecula Valley was able to make the big plays at the end to capture its third CIF title and first once since 1991.

“I’m just so excited for the kids and the community after all they’ve been through for the last 15 years,” said Esposito. “These kids, we were able to get them to buy in and commit early. When I first got here, there was a lot of doubt, but the last two seasons, they’ve just bought in and worked hard and the rest is history.”

Hurtado led Cypress, rushing for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Eldredge passed for 209 yards for the Centurions while Vaielua had seven catches for 138 yards.

Feldman was hoping the team could bring home the second CIF title in school history. He said he was still proud of the squad’s effort.

“Number one, I thought we won with class all year long and we always try to teach them to lose with dignity,” Feldman said. “We tried to do that tonight. There was a little stomping on our logo (at the center of the field) to our fans, but our guys ignored that and just waited and shook their hands and did the right thing. It’s a special group of guys with tons of character.

“We lost tonight and I hate that, but the result doesn’t matter in the way I feel about these guys. I love them all.”

Esposito, told of Feldman’s comment, said he wasn’t aware of any stomping by his players on the Cypress logo after the game.

“I don’t recall seeing that,” Esposito said. “I’ll look at the film because I don’t remember seeing it.”

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