Wild finish lifts Crean Lutheran football team to 22-19 victory

Crean Lutheran’s football team celebrates a last-second victory.

It was a wild ending for Crean Lutheran’s football team which captured a 22-19 victory over Duarte Friday night at Portola to wrap up the non-league portion of its schedule with a 4-1 record.

After trailing most of the night, the Saints defense came up with a stop on fourth and three with 1:32 left in the game.

With 27 seconds remaining, the offense ran a screen pass.

Junior quarterback Grant Olbricht threw the ball to junior fullback Tyler Buban.

Buban then made a determined run into opponent territory when he attempted to lateral the ball to sophomore running back Nolan Folsom as he was being tackled.

Folsom then picked the ball up off the ground and was immediately tackled, but he latereled the ball back to Olbricht who raced the final 35 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.

It was quite an ending to homecoming for Crean Lutheran.

Buban led the Saints with 57 yards rushing on 11 carries and two rushing touchdowns.

Jack Johnson had eight tackles and five assists and Buban had two blocked punts and a blocked PAT.

“We didn’t play up to our ability for three quarters, but we came together for a big stop on defense when we needed to and go the ball in the end zone when we had to,” said Coach Randall Reynoso.

“It was a total team victory and one we will remember for a long time.”