No. 10 Lions hold on with big interception in final minute of game; Montana outduels Heaps in ESPNU-televised game.
SAMMAMISH, Wash. – Senior running back Malcolm Jones wanted no part of the play that helped national No. 10 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) put the deciding points on the board in a 28-25 win over homestanding No. 12 Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) Friday night in front of nearly 5,000 fans and an ESPN audience.
“I didn’t want to run that play,” Jones said. “The stretch play wasn’t working all game long so I was telling coach ‘We can’t run that, we can’t run that.’ We stuck with it, I found a little seam, cut back and I was gone.”
Jones’ 48-yard run on a fourth-down play that opened the final quarter helped the visitors from California build a 28-17 lead in the nation’s most heavily-anticipated high school game of the weekend. Jones finished with 128 yards on 20 carries.
“At the last minute we decided to run a 28 stretch. I thought he would have a chance to bust it and that’s what he did,” Oaks Christian head coach Bill Redell said.
Even with Jones’ heroics, the game wasn’t decided until Oaks Christian (3-0) senior defensive back Max Napolitano intercepted a pass thrown by Skyline (2-1) quarterback Jake Heaps with 49 seconds remaining.
Nick Montana, Oaks Christian
Photo by Juliann Tallino
Heaps was attempting to throw the ball out of bounds and keep a last-ditch Spartan drive alive, but the pass sailed and Napolitano made a diving catch near the sideline to seal a victory for Oaks Christian.
“I thought there was going to be a receiver behind me that he was going to hit me,” Napolitano said. “I was just thinking ‘I’ve got to catch this right here.’”
He did just that, lifting the Lions to their 24th win in as many games.
The game was broadcast nationally on ESPNU and billed as a showdown between two of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Brigham Young-bound Heaps and Oaks Christian’s Nick Montana, a University of Washington verbal commitment and son of NFL legend Joe Montana.
Montana completed 21 of 33 pass attempts for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Heaps struggled to ignite the Skyline aerial attack, completing just 13 of 31 attempts for 244 yards and a touchdown. The duo combined for five interceptions, including three by Heaps.
After leading the Spartans to back-to-back 4A state titles, Friday night’s setback marked Heaps' first loss as a starter after 30 consecutive wins.
The game looked like it might be a lopsided affair early on as Oaks Christian took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Montana touchdown passes to Trey Smith – son of actor extraordinaire Will Smith – and tight end Alani Fua.
But Skyline junior phenom Kasen Williams helped the Puget Sound-area power pull even with a pair of big plays.
With just under nine minutes remaining in the second quarter and Skyline at its own 16-yard line, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound wide receiver took a slant pass from Heaps, spun out of two tackles and sprinted to the opposite 20. Williams was stripped, but the ball took a fortuitous bounce all the way to the end zone and the multi-sport standout was there to recover for a touchdown.
Following an Oaks Christian turnover, Heaps found Williams again for a 38-yard touchdown pass. Williams finished with seven receptions for 153 yards.
Skyline took its first and only lead on a 30-yard field goal by Sean Penberthy with 4:25 remaining in the half.
The Lions responded immediately with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Montana to Fua, carrying a lead into halftime they wouldn’t surrender.
“That was a heck of a ballgame by both teams. I can’t say enough about their team,” Redell said. “They were outstanding. I thought the team that had the ball last would win it. We had the ball last I guess taking a knee.”
The Lions, who own a glossy 70-3 record since the 2004 season, hope their big win on the road Friday night will silence critics who feel the mark has been achieved against lesser opponents.
“We are often criticized saying we don’t play people,” Redell said. “Now they will probably say Skyline wasn’t that good. That’s a bunch of bologna.”
The Spartans will look to bounce back next week against Newport. Oaks Christian has a week off before facing Venice of Los Angeles Oct. 2.
Another big California vs. Washington matchup is set for Saturday night as defending state champions Grant of Sacramento and Bellevue meet at Seattle's Memorial Stadium.
Alani Fua scored a pair of touchdowns Friday night to help Oaks Christian beat Skyline, 28-25.
Photo by Juliann Tallino
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
7:58 – OC: Nick Montana 12 yard pass to Trey Smith (Davis Campbell kick)
6:17 – OC: Montana 24 yard pass to Alani Fua (Campbell kick)
Second Quarter
8:59 – Sky: Kasen Williams fumble recovery in end zone (Sean Penberthy kick)
7:20 – Sky: Jake Heaps 38 yard pass to Williams (Penberthy kick)
4:25 – Sky: Penberthy 30 yard field goal
2:28 – OC: Montana 25 yard pass to Fua (Campbell kick)
Fourth Quarter
11:50 – OC: Malcolm Jones 48 yard run (Campbell kick)
3:31 – Nick Washburn 3 yard run (Heaps pass to Michael Ford)
