Verbena loses to Fruitdale in overtime ‘heartbreaker’
Published 11:10 pm Friday, October 3, 2014
Verbena’s Tristan Short (12) staves off a Fruitdale defender during the Red Devils’ homecoming game Friday.
The Verbena Red Devils (3-3) suffered a heartbreaker of a homecoming game against the visiting Fruitdale Pirates (4-2) on Friday, falling 29-26 in the third overtime.
“They played their hearts out,” Verbena head coach Mike Harris said. “I’m proud of their effort. They’ve got a lot of heart, and that means more to me than anything else.”
Fruitdale scored the first two touchdowns, but Verbena followed with a touchdown to make the score 13-6 at the end of the first quarter.
A Verbena touchdown and 2-point conversion in the second quarter pushed the Red Devils to a 1-point lead going into the locker room at halftime.
Both teams scored one touchdown each in the third quarter, and after a scoreless fourth quarter, they went into overtime tied, 20-20.
Neither the Red Devils nor the Pirates put points on the board in the first overtime, but both posted a touchdown in the second overtime.
Verbena got the ball first in the third overtime but didn’t score.
Fruitdale kicked a field goal to edge out the Red Devils by 3 points.
For Verbena, Hakeem Underwood had 24 carries, 113 yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion.
Juwan Tyus had five catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Tristan Short was 8-for-16 for 142 yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, Trey McCullough had 10 tackles and three assists.
Quandarius Ray had seven tackles and four assists.
Stephen Wright had six tackles and three assists.
Verbena’s 2014-2015 Homecoming Court included (from left) Katie Allen, first alternate; Hannah Sanford, queen; and Carina Maciel, second alternate.
Senior candidate Hannah Sanford was crowned Verbena High School’s 2014-2015 Homecoming Queen.
Her court included senior Katie Allen, first alternate, and senior Carina Maciel, second alternate.
