PRE-GAME INTRO:?It?s the football game that leaves lasting memories for the players who play in it.
The Big Game between crosstown rivals?Santa Barbara High?and?San Marcos?celebrates its 54th anniversary on Friday night at San Marcos? Warkentin Stadium.
Both teams enter the contest seeking their first league win, and second-year San Marcos coach Anthony Linebaugh and the Royals senior class are looking for their first victory against the Dons.?With neither team going to the CIF playoffs, this game should make the season for the winner.
Santa Barbara has won the last three meetings and leads the series 30-23.
The game will feature plenty of offensive playmakers. Santa Barbara has talented sophomore quarterback Brent Peus, explosive running backs Ramon Harper and Cheroke Cunningham. San Marcos features hard-running Esteban Alfaro, the multi-purpose Cameron Whitney, sure-handed receiver Austin Pugh and strong-arm quarterback Wesley Ghan-Gibson.
The game will be televised by Cox 8 Sports tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., and on Monday evening at 7:30 p.m.
FOURTH QUARTER
GAME OVER – Santa Barbara High wins the 54th Big Game 42-28. Check back later for a written recap, post-game reaction, video highlights, and photos.
4:15 – Special teams has been an advantage for Santa Barbara tonight, and the Dons’ Daniel Vallin comes through with a big return on the kickoff. The Dons then needed to go only 33 yards. And that they did, finding the endzone on the eighth play. Cunningham was stopped just shy of his sixth TD on third down, and Brent Peus scored on a keeper on 4th down. The 2-point conversion is good. Santa Barbara 42, San Marcos 28.
7:31 – San Marcos quarterback Wesley Ghan-Gibson directs an all-important scoring drive for the Royals. Esteban Alfaro caps the 70-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. Gibson completed four passes during the possession, including a 43-yarder to Austin Pugh. Alfaro’s 4th TD of the game gives him 18 total touchdowns for the season. Two players – Alfaro and SB’s Cunningham – have scored all nine touchdowns in this game!!! Santa Barbara 34, San Marcos 28
11:14 – San Marcos gets the ball back starting out on its own 30-yard line. Down less than two scores, this game is far from over.
12:00 – Santa Barbara holds possession in San Marcos territory. The Dons started at the San Marcos 3-yard line after stopping the Royals on 4th down.
THIRD QUARTER
2:10 – Santa Barbara stops San Marcos on 4th down inside the five-yard line. The Royals had been 3-of-4 on 4th down conversions before getting stopped without any points. Gabe Murillo was able to make the touchdown-saving tackle for the Dons.
3:05 – The Royals are starting to throw more in the second half. Working out of the shotgun, Wesley Ghan -Gibson connects with Austin Pugh on completions of 37 yards and 18 yards as the Royals threaten to get their first second-half points. It’s 1st-and-goal on the 8-yard line.
4:57 – Cunningham gashes the San Marcos defense for another touchdown, this one from 20 yards out. Cunningham’s doing a good job of running downhill and making decisive cuts past his blockers. Cunningham now has five touchdowns in the game, four rushing and one on special teams. Kick no good. Santa Barbara 34, San Marcos 21
7:41 – San Marcos gets a first down on a 4th-down conversion, but then turns the ball over on downs after another attempt on 4th-and-short. Santa Barbara will take over on its own 46-yard line.
12:00 – San Marcos will receive the second-half kickoff looking for their first win in The Big Game since 2009.
HALFTIME LEADERS
San Marcos – Esteban Alfaro (21 carries, 113 yards, 3 TDs); Wesley Ghan-Gibson (5-11, 52 yards passing, 6 yards rushing)
Santa Barbara – ?Cheroke Cunningham (15 carries, 88 yards, 3 TDs, 90 return yards, 1 TD) ; Brent Peus (8-for-12 passing, 189 yards)
SECOND QUARTER
Halftime – Santa Barbara moves the ball into San Marcos’ redzone but can’t produce any points before the halftime break.
1:22 – After a 28-yard completion to Cameron Whitney, Esteban Alfaro punches in another touchdown for the Royals from 1-yard out. Alfaro and Cunningham have accounted for all seven touchdowns in the game so far.?Santa Barbara 28, San Marcos 21
1:47 – The two quarterbacks have exchanged interceptions, with San Marcos’ Garrett Paulson setting up the Royals with possession starting on the Dons’ 29-yard line. Andrew Solis intercepted a tipped pass for Santa Barbara’s defense.
2:59 – Guess who?? Cheroke Cunningham gets his fourth touchdown of the game on a three-yard run. Cunningham has three rushing TDs and one long ount return TD. Penalties backed Santa Barbara all the way back to its own 27-yard line, but a big 58-yard pass play from Brent Peus to Jonah Iwanaga was a big play. Santa Barbara 28, San Marcos 14.
3:59 – Santa Barbara just had its second long touchdown play of the game called back because of penalty. On a 1st-down-and-20, Peus found Adam Ebling down the left sideline for a 53-yard touchdown score. But an illegal man downfield erased the play. Cheroke Cunningham had what would have been his second 80-yard punt return TD called back earlier.
5:00 – The first half is shaping up as a two-man show. Esteban Alfaro’s second touchdown of the game brings the Royals back to within one score. Alfaro rushed seven times on the drive and picked up 35 more yards. The San Marcos workhorse has taken 18 carries already.?Santa Barbara 21, San Marcos 14.?
9:23 – Cunningham is racking up the points tonight. The Santa Barbara High senior just scored his third touchdown of the night, this time on a short 3-yard run that he bounced to the outside. Cunningham scored five touchdowns in one game earlier this season.?Santa Barbara High 21, San Marcos 7.
10:46 – Esteban Alfaro finds the endzone on his sixth carry of the drive for San Marcos’ first touchdown. Alfaro, a senior, picked up 45 yards on the drive. Alfaro has a team-high 15 touchdowns on the season (13 rushing, two receiving). Santa Barbara 14, San Marcos 7
FIRST QUARTER
End of Quarter – San Marcos is driving and will start the second period with a 1st-and-10 on Santa Barbara’s 19-yard line.
3:01 – Cheroke Cunningham does it again. The playmaker takes a punt 80 yards to the house, followed by a 2-point conversion, and the Dons are quickly up by two scores. Santa Barbara 14, San Marcos 0
4:48 – Dons break through first on a 12-yard run by Cheroke Cunningham. It’s Cunningham’s 6th rushing TD of the season and 8th overall. The Dons marched 82 yards on just five plays, highlighted by big gains on pass from Brent Peus. Santa Barbara’s sophomore quarterback completed passes to Jonah Iwanaga for 21 yards, to Adam Ebling for 23 yards, and Daniel Vallin for another 19 yards. Kick no good. Santa Barbara 6, San Marcos 0
5:58 – Santa Barbara received the opening kickoff and couldn’t do anything on its opening possession. After a punt, San Marcos took over at its own 39-yard line. The Royals picked up a pair of first downs, moving into Dons territory, before having to punt themselves back to SB. The Dons will start on their 18-yard line.
12:00 – Kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at San Marcos’ Warkentin Stadium. It’s senior night for the Royals and 20 players were recognized on the field prior to the game. The Dons are warming up on the field in white jerseys and gold pants. San Marcos is wearing its Royal blue with red and white trim. Captains for this game are Wesley Ghan-Gibson, Esteban Alfaro, Cameron Whitney and Jose Lara from San Marcos. Santa Barbara’s captains are Cheroke Cunningham, Jordan Guzman, Jonah Iwanaga, and Josh Kass.
