Ian Craddock breaks off a long run in the second half, nearly outrunning the entire Oak Park defense for a touchdown. (Presidio Sports Photos)
Carpinteria’s football team is one win away from its first Tri-Valley League title since 2002 after a 33-21 victory over Oak Park on Friday night.
The Warriors were able to force five turnovers in the second half – including two crucial interceptions in the endzone – in order to come-from-behind and set up a de facto league championship game next week at Nordhoff.
“It was great for the defense to come alive there and really win the game,” said Warriors head coach Ben Hallock, who has his team holding a 7-1 record overall.
Ian Craddock hands off to Jeffrey Moorhouse in the first half of Carpinteria's TVL win on Friday night at Carpinteria Valley Memorial Stadium.
More importantly, the Warriors are 3-0 in league play with only Nordhoff left on the schedule because Carpinteria finishes its regular season with a non-league rivalry game with Bishop Diego. While Friday’s victory assures the Warriors of a playoff berth, a win next week would clinch a Tri-Valley League championship.
“That’s where we wanted to be,” Hallock said, not shying away from the importance of next week’s game. “We’ve been talking about, you know, is getting down to this place and getting ready to play for the championship.”
“We’ve extended our season at least another week and that’s really exciting because after tonight there was only two Mondays left; now there’s three,” Hallock said.
Warriors quarterback Ian Craddock connected with Jordan Robinson for a touchdown and ran in the game-clinching score from 1-yard out on a fourth down play with 1:25 remaining in the game.
Robinson also found paydirt on a 30-yard handoff from Craddock in the third quarter. (VIDEO) Jeffrey Moorhouse scored Carpinteria’s other touchdown on a 10-yard run in the second quarter.
“My line and everyone just did their job and I just did mine,” said Robinson, who added an interception on defense.
Everyone’s job performance was magnified without the game-breaking services of senior captain Alex Rodriguez. Carpinteria was playing its first full game of the season without their starting tailback and defensive back, who had 15 touchdowns in seven games before injuring his knee last week. Hallock has ruled him out for the rest of the regular season but said he might be able to return during the postseason.
Hallock spread the credit around for filling in for Rodriguez.
“(Jeffrey Moorhouse) gave us some hard runs and great tackling. Also, Paul (Cortez) was a grinder tonight,” Hallock said. “Jordan Robinson stepped up and made some great plays for us.”
Warriors defensive back Anthony Graham was flagged on this third-down play for pass interference. Graham picked off a pass in the end zone four plays later to make up for it.
Even though Oak Park totaled a crippling seven turnovers in the game, the Eagles still managed to take a 21-17 lead at halftime. But Oak Park turned the ball over on each of its five second-half possessions. It started on the very first play from scrimmage in the third quarter as Yanir Klibanov put the ball on the ground for the Eagles.
The Warriors, who took over at Oak Park’s 32 yard line, ran seven plays before settling on a 37-yard field goal by Omar Vasquez.
It took two plays for the Eagles to cough it up again on their next possession. Craddock recovered for the Warriors, who then used four straight running plays to grab a 26-21 lead. Robinson’s 30-yard take capped off the 48-yard drive.
Oak Park’s next turnover was a backbreaker. The Eagles carefully orchestrated a 19-play drive that ate up more than seven minutes on the clock after losing the lead for the first time in the contest.
The Eagles advanced inside Carpinteria’s 10-yard line, but Anthony Graham’s second takeaway of the game diffused the situation for the Warriors. And while Carpinteria missed a field goal on its next possession, the Warriors defense would come up with two more turnovers before the night was out.
Oak Park had a much better first half, highlighted by Aaron Lacombe’s 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Lacombe received the ball at the 10-yard line and headed up the center of the field. After breaking a couple of tackles, he broke free to the outside and down the left sideline to give the Eagles a 21-10 advantage in the first half.
The wheels fell off from there as the Eagles (2-6, 0-2) turned it over on their final six possessions.
——————-
CARPINTERIA 33, OAK PARK 21
Oak Park 7 14 0 0 – 21
Carpinteria 0 17 9 7 – 33
1st QUARTER
5:17 – OP Zapata 4-yard run (PAT good)
2nd QUARTER
11:06 – C Moorhouse 10-yard run (PAT good)
7:13 – OP Koshover to OP24 9-yard pass (PAT good)
3:52 – C Vasquez 30-yard FG
3:35 – OP Lacombe 90-yard kickoff return (PAT good)
1:44 – C Craddock to Robinson 12-yard pass (PAT good)
3rd QUARTER
8:41 – C Vasquez 37-yard FG
6:05 – Robinson 30-yard run (2 pt. conversion no good)
4th QUARTER
1:25 – C Craddock 1-yard run (PAT good)
