Edward Vander (10) rushed for three TDs in JSerra’s 38-21 win over Servite. PHOTO BY CRAIG TAKATA
Edward Vander made plays. Nick Robinson made plays. Ethan Aguayo made plays. You get the idea.
On the final night of Trinity League play for JSerra, the Lions made plays, enough of them to enjoy their widest margin of victory in league, 38-21, against a Servite program that was fighting for its playoff life.
The Lions capped the best regular season in school history by posting its ninth win in 10 games, sending them to the playoffs for the first time with the kind of momentum they hope will carry them deep into the Pac-5 showcase.
Vander rushed 29 times for 147 yards and three touchdowns on the Saddleback College turf. Robinson completed 11 of 15 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. Aguayo returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown.
JSerra’s Ethan Aguayo (17) defends Servite’s Equanimeous St. Brown. PHOTO BY CRAIG TAKATA
And the defense survived Travis Waller. They forced the Oregon-bound quarterback to fumble with David Eugenio recovering, and they intercepted a pass with Conor O’Brien doing the honors. They limited him to 11 of 24 passing for 177 yards and a touchdown pass. He carried 12 times for 49 yards and two TDs, of 5 and 19 yards. The first gave Servite a 7-0 lead, the latter cut Servite’s deficit to 341-21 on the final play of the third quarter.
“It’s a pressure cooker week in and week out,” Hartigan said of the Trinity gauntlet. “We’ve had some big wins, but we have to finish. Game 10 is always a dangerous game. We got what we want, a win going into the playoffs. You don’t want to lose this game and wonder who we really are.
“This was a game of big plays.”
Robinson made several key plays to keep drives going, including a fourth down completion on the scoring drive that gave JSerra a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter, and a couple of completions in long yardage situations that led to Ethan Worden’s 32-yard field goal with 37 seconds in the half to go up 17-7.
Ethan Aguayo (17) left Servite defenders in his dust on 95-yard kickoff return for JSerra. PHOTO BY CRAIG TAKATA
Riley O’Brien took the opening kickoff of the second half at the 3, then made a backwards pass across the field to Aguayo at the 5, who took it the distance to complete a 95-yard kick return. That made it 24-7, and though Servite answered on its ensuing drive with Waller’s 23-yard scoring pass to Osiris St. Brown, it was a cushion JSerra was happy to have.
It was all part of the momentum that JSerra has built this season.
“We have gritty guys who trust and believe in each other,” Hartigan said. “When we made a mistake, we came back with a big play. … Up front, we weren’t as dominant as we’ve been, but we’re in the Trinity League. There were some good runs when we had to have them.”
When all was said and done, the Lions (9-1, 4-1) finished second in league behind Bosco (9-1, 5-0) while Servite (4-6, 1-4) finished fifth. Mater Dei (8-2, 3-2) took third and Santa Margarita Catholic (6-4, 2-3) fourth. The playoff pairings will be released on Sunday. Margarita is expected to get one of two at-large berths with Servite considered for the other.
Coming into the season, many had Servite ranked among the top programs in the country with the likelihood the Friars would finish second in the Trinity League. Instead, they were instead replaced by JSerra, whose largest margin of victory in league prior to Friday was seven points.
“Not that it’s any easier, but we’re looking forward to playing a different opponent—in the first round, at least,” Hartigan said.
Servite coach AJ Gass is hoping his team gets a playoff chance, but he said he likes JSerra.
“They’re very well coached, and their offensive plan complements every single play that goes with it,” Gass said. “They have a quarterback who makes great decisions, a running back who has a great burst, three great wide receivers. I wish them all the best with what they’ve been through. They’ve earned it.
“They’re as good as advertised.”
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