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St. Vincent receiver Jack Ellis celebrates his profitable landing in opposition to American Canyon, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
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St. Vincent receiver Jack Ellis celebrates his profitable landing in opposition to American Canyon, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Straight away traditional — and an early contender for Sport of the 12 months — St. Vincent rallied for a shocking comeback 27-21 win at American Canyon on Saturday night time in a extremely anticipated matchup between the North Bay’s two defending state champions.
The Mustangs scored 20 unanswered factors within the ultimate seven minutes of the fourth quarter and sealed the sport on an interception with six seconds left.
The way it occurred
American Canyon (1-1) appeared poised to take down the two-time defending state champion Mustangs because the Wolves held a 21-7 lead halfway by means of the fourth quarter. St. Vincent (2-0), which solely dressed 19 gamers for the sport on account of a slew of accidents of their season opener final week, had been unable to complete off sturdy drives and had turned the ball over on a fumble in American Canyon territory to begin the quarter.
The script flipped shortly on a sequence of performs that went the Mustangs’ method. First, Isaac Anderson had a 62-yard breakaway landing referred to as again on account of holding, a play that might have put the Wolves up three scores with eight minutes left. As a substitute, the Wolves needed to punt and the Mustangs took benefit, scoring on a fantastically designed play to get Mason Caturegli large open for a 27-yard landing to make it 21-13 with 5:30 left.
The Mustangs then bought one other break on a Wolves punt on their ensuing possession. The kick deflected off a blocker and finally netted -5 yards, giving St. Vincent the ball on the Wolves’ 31-yard line with just below three minutes to play. The Mustangs wanted simply three performs to seek out the top zone once more, this time on a four-yard keeper from quarterback Gabe Casanovas. The Wolves, nevertheless, made a defensive stand to cease the two-point try to retained the lead at 21-19.
However St. Vincent wasn’t achieved. Jack Ellis recovered a superbly executed onside kick at midfield with 2:30 remaining. Ellis stepped up once more seven performs later, combating tooth and nail for a go-ahead 18-yard landing with 43 seconds remaining to make it 27-21.
St. Vincent leads! What an effort from @jack_ellis3_ for the 18-yard rating!
2pt strive is nice!
20 unanswered factors from the Mustangs within the 4th!
27-21, 43 seconds left. #PDPreps pic.twitter.com/fR8M5XmdZ4
— Gus Morris (@JustGusPD) September 7, 2025
All the way down to its ultimate possession, American Canyon made a push all the best way to the Mustangs’ 37-yard line earlier than Brody Breen sealed the win with a diving interception on a tipped move with simply six seconds left, his second choose of the sport.
.@BrodyBreen! 2nd choose of the sport will finish this!
AC bought all the best way right down to SV’s 37 however that is over.
Ultimate: St. Vincent 27, American Canyon 21
Unbelievable ending. #PDPreps pic.twitter.com/59IhIfHV2Q
— Gus Morris (@JustGusPD) September 7, 2025
Of their 290 whole yards of offense within the sport, the Mustangs gained 130 on their ultimate three possessions. Casanovas, whose first throw of the sport went for a 45-yard pick-six, accomplished seven of his ultimate 9 makes an attempt to guide the comeback cost. He completed with 160 passing yards on 14-of-21 makes an attempt with two touchdowns and rushed for 74 yards on 17 carries with a rating.
Ellis led the workforce in receiving with 64 yards on 5 catches with a rating and Caturegli had 58 dashing yards on 13 carries, 57 receiving yards on 4 catches and two whole touchdowns.
The Wolves ran for 157 of their 215 dashing yards within the second half. Star operating again Andre Lopez led the workforce with 96 dashing yards on 19 carries however didn’t discover the top zone. The Wolves trailed 7-6 at halftime, Evan Paras contributing their rating on a 45-yard pick-six to open the sport, after which scored twice within the third quarter to take a 21-7 lead into the fourth.
Marcus Hughes, who completed with 22 dashing yards on seven carries, scored a four-yard landing early within the third to make it 14-7, and Anderson, who completed with 81 dashing yards on 9 carries, scored a six-yard landing later within the body to make 21-7.
SV goes 3 and out and AC cashes in once more. Three performs for 20+ yards, together with a key 4th down.
Marcus Hughes with the 4-yard rating to make it 21-7 with 2:09 left in Q3.
Mustangs want a response. #PDPreps pic.twitter.com/ONpJDK1bfu
— Gus Morris (@JustGusPD) September 7, 2025
Key performs
Too many to rely.
Anderson’s called-back 62-yard landing within the fourth gave the Mustangs life. As did the deflected punt and the onside kick restoration.
However even with the breaks, it was Breen’s choose with six seconds left that lastly put the sport to mattress.
Quotable
“Now we have the guts of a champion. We’ve been right here and achieved this and we simply saved going. We by no means doubted ourselves. At halftime we felt fairly good about ourselves; we had two turnovers on the primary two performs we had the ball and our youngsters didn’t hand over on one another. They saved combating. We bought children popping out, damage, cramping, different guys coming in, we performed 17 guys tonight and I’m simply so pleased with everybody. Pleased with our coaches and our workforce and the trouble we performed with. They caught collectively they usually by no means gave up. This workforce has the guts of a champion. My hat’s off to American Canyon. They gave us every part they may for 48 minutes. A lot of these video games, somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, nevertheless it may’ve went both method.” – St. Vincent head coach Trent Herzog
“Coming in, 19 gamers, a large receiver shifting to proper sort out – I simply suppose we have now extra coronary heart than every other workforce and our teaching employees will get us prepared each single week. I simply don’t suppose a workforce can beat us proper now.” – Breen
“In our heads all of us knew this was a sport we wished. Everybody saying we are able to’t beat the large faculties. We actually considered, like that is the sport we’ve been ready for for 3 years, that is our huge sport and we did it. We confirmed that we are able to compete with the large guys.” – Ellis
“(This win) reveals the expertise that this workforce has, no matter if we have now 50 gamers suited up or 19 gamers suited up. We will play with anyone and I feel this could give us our respect.” – Casanovas
Takeaways
Just like the Mustangs’ gamers stated, this win was extra proof that St. Vincent needs to be categorized as greater than only a good small-school program. They’re program, interval.
St. Vincent’s rise the previous couple of years has had many eager to see the Mustangs compete with the bigger applications within the North Bay. This yr, we’re lastly attending to see it. American Canyon has an enrollment of 1,700 college students, practically 10 occasions the entire at St. Vincent.
The Mustangs did win a state championship three divisions larger than the Wolves in 2024, however the college measurement can’t be neglected, particularly this week with St. Vincent shorthanded.
The Wolves additionally deserve a ton of credit score for pushing the Mustangs to the brink. The Wolves seem poised to as soon as once more be a workforce that may compete for not only a part title however presumably a state title once more.
That is additionally not the final time this season that St. Vincent will face a bigger college. The Mustangs will cap off nonleague play Oct. 4 in opposition to a historically top-tier North Bay program in Rancho Cotate.
What’s subsequent
St. Vincent travels to play at Lowell-San Francisco (0-2) this coming weekend, whereas American Canyon hosts Benicia (0-2).
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