Oak Park stuns Oaks Christian on last play of game

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL COONS RIVALRY GAME-Above: Matt Allen of Oaks Christian tackles Mike Christensen of Oak Park. Both teams completed highly successful campaigns during the regular season and could play again in the postseason of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section playoffs. Below: Duke Lemmens of Oaks Christian sacks Oak Park quarterback Nolan McNair during Friday's game at Oaks Christian. The Eagles won the game and both teams are going into the playoffs.

The Oak Park football team defeated Oaks Christian 27-24 in a showdown between the two longtime rivals last Friday night.

The Eagles’ dramatic victory came on the game’s final play.

Senior running back Anthony Monteleone took a pitch from senior quarterback Nolan McNair then passed the ball to McNair who snuck into the end zone just ahead of an Oaks Christian tackler on a play that finished after time had expired.

Oak Park co-head coach Dick Billingsley said the throwback play was actually devised as a two-point conversion, but was utilized differently than planned.

"We’ve been working on it in practice and I’ve been saving it for a particular time," said Billingsley. "And to be honest with you, that was going to be a two-point conversion if we were down by two."

Billingsley said the sellout crowd at Oaks Christian High School got its moneys worth. "I think the fans from both sides really got a good look at what high school football is all about," he said.

Lions’ head coach Bill Redell and Eagle co-head coach Brian Crum agreed that it was a game for the ages.

"We were so evenly matched," Crum said. "We knew going into the game that it was going to be a very close, that it was going to be a battle and that it was going to come down to the fourth quarter."

Redell agreed. "It was a great high school football game. Both teams played very well and Oak Park deserved to win.

"I thought coach Billingsley and his staff did a real good job preparing their team," Redell said.

Monteleone led Oak Park with 192 yards rushing, including an 80-yard TD run on the game’s first play from scrimmage, which put the Eagles ahead.

"Our team never gave up, and in high school football, there’s a lot of momentum changes—and every time it changed, our team rebounded and came back real well and drove it down and scored again," said Monteleone.

Senior running back Mike Christensen ran for 64 yards.

"That was the most exciting football game I’ve ever played in my life. It was all about heart," said Christensen. "There’s just no quit in this team. The offense and defensive line really set the tone for us and I’d say our success is mainly because of them."

Senior running back Ryan Edwardsen agreed with that assessment.

"We owe it all to our linemen because it starts up front with the big guys," said Edwardsen.

Senior quarterback Nolan McNair passed for 145 yards on 13 of 24 passing with one TD for Oak Park.

"This is a huge confidence booster," McNair said of the narrow victory over Oaks Christian. "We knew we could beat them. This makes a huge difference in who we’ll play in the playoffs."

The win propelled Oak Park into a No. 1 seeding in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Division XI playoffs and the Eagles will host Kilpatrick tomorrow night at 7:30.

The Lions, who fell to third place in the Tri-Valley League because of the loss, will travel to Yucca Valley tomorrow night.

"They’re 7-3 and they finished second in their league," Redell said of Yucca Valley. "They’re a good running team and we’ve had trouble stopping the run. It will be a challenge."

The Lions and Eagles both enter the playoffs 9-1 on the season. Oaks Christian and Nordhoff could face each other in the semifinals. Oak Park and Oaks Christian could meet again in the championship game.

"I know they hope and we hope we see them again in the playoffs," said junior wide receiver Gavin Ketchum, who had an 11-yard TD reception in the win over the Lions. "This win elevated us to a whole new level and going to the playoffs we’re going to have momentum on our side."

Senior wide receiver Brandon Koller was understandably elated after the Eagle win.

"The game ended the perfect way—two great teams going at it, going down to the last second of the game," said Koller. He recalled the final play, the throwback pass from Monteleone to McNair, "I almost cried when that ball was in the air, I was so nervous," said Koller.