Panther Gridders Win Double Overtime Thriller
Panthers quarterback Isaiah Ariolla-Randalle, a freshman out of Sacramento High, threw two of his four touchdown passes in overtime as the Seahawks fell victim to a fierce passing attack, 50-44 in double overtime, to open Golden Coast Conference play.
The 94 combined points was the highest total between the longtime rivals. The game featured 1,071 yards of total offense.
With the win, Hartnell (4-0) leads the lifetime series 38-17-2. The Panthers will likely jump into the State’s top-25 poll on Monday. They checked in at No. 26 last week.
The Seahawks’ Jamarr Porter scored on 2-yard run to cap an eight-play, 81-yard drive with 5:28 left in the fourth, tying the score at 37-all. Despite a hectic, penalty-filled final two minutes with Cabrillo on offense, the teams finished regulation deadlocked.
In overtime, the teams started drives at their opponent’s 25-yard line. Hartnell started first on offense and scored on Duante Moore’s 9-yard scoring catch. Cabrillo running back Ladale Combs tied the score on his 15-yard run.
Cabrillo started the second OT on offense and missed a 24-yard field attempt. Hartnell took over and ended the game on Moore’s 22-yard reception as the Panthers stormed the field.
“It feels good: 4-0 to start the season,” Ariolla-Randalle said after being doused with ice water. “We’ve got to keep going for the whole season and get to a bowl game.”
Ariolla-Randalle, who entered with 1,092 passing yards, did nothing to diminish his stock. He completed 21 of 40 passes for 401 yards against a Seahawks defense that had held each of its previous two opponents to six apiece.
The Panthers finished with 576 yards on offense.
In addition to his two scoring strike to Moore in overtime, Ariolla-Randalle connected with Davon Owens and Jeff Weimer for touchdowns. Moore finished with six catches for 132 yards, Owens had six catches for 128 yards and Weimer had five catches for 93 yards.
Hartnell also received scoring runs from Ariolla-Randalle, Keishawn Robinson and David Freeman.
Alexis Ramos led Hartnell on defense with 17 tackles and a sack.
Hartnell sacked Barron six times. Chauncey Jackson led the way with 2.5 sacks, plus 11 tackles, and Demarcus Hawkins had two sacks to go along with his 10 tackles. Trev Smith also had 11 tackles.
Hartnell will host Gavilan College on Saturday September 29th at Rabobank Stadium, kick-off is at 6pm.