El Camino trailed 35-30 with 34 seconds remaining in the game. Sophomore quarterback David Sills dropped back to pass, scrambled and hit sophomore wide receiver Zaire Andre in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
Andre out-jumped two defenders to come down with the potential game-winning touchdown, but El Camino gave up a 46-yard reception to Derrick Vickers, setting up the Renegades with a first and goal on the Warriors 1-yard line with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Two plays later, Vickers punched it in from a yard out to give Bakersfield a 42-38 win over El Camino Saturday at Murdock Stadium.
“We blew a coverage and they got the play off,” coach Gifford Lindheim said about the long completion by Bakersfield in the final seconds. “We have to get better at what we are doing and execute.”
El Camino opened with a 99-yard drive, capped by a Sills’ 64-yard touchdown pass to freshman running back Johnnell Jackson for a 7-0 lead.
Running back Ferguson Ayers scored from a yard out and Vickers added a 4-yard touchdown run to give Bakersfield a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
After a La Meshio Hill 7-yard touchdown run for the Renegades, Sills connected with freshman wide receiver Mason Mulvihill for a 20-yard touchdown to cut Bakersfield’s lead to 21-13 at halftime.
“We fought through the whole game but came up short,” Sills said. “We need to eliminate mistakes, practice better and get ready for conference.”
EC freshman kicker Max Kidd converted a 22-yard field goal after an interception by freshman defensive lineman Dwayne Polk in the third quarter to put EC close to Bakersfield, 21-16.
Vickers hauled in a 33-yard touchdown on a flea flicker to extend the Renegades’ lead, 28-16. The Warriors went on a 13-play, 80-yard drive capped by a Sills 13-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Trevon Dean.
Bakersfield responded in three plays with a 3-yard touchdown run by Hill to give the Renegades a 35-23 lead in the third quarter.
The Warriors’ defense made key stops in the fourth quarter. Sills capped a 10-play drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 35-30 with 3:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, El Camino recovered the onside kick, setting up Sills for a 20-yard touchdown pass to Andre in the final seconds of the game.
“We just kept fighting and the better team won,” Andre said. “I just knew when the ball was in the air, I had to make a play.”
The Warriors fall to 2-3 on the season and will turn their attention to conference play after the bye week. Sills completed 15 of 23 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns, while adding one touchdown rushing.
Freshman running back Donovan Davis finished with 106 yards on 13 carries.
“I was proud of the way we came back,” Lindheim said. “We showed fight, climbed back into it and took the lead. If we can capture that energy for a full football game, watch out.”
