On Oct. 18 the Los Banos Tiger football team (2-6 overall, 1-2 CCC) traveled to Atwater to battle the Buhach Colony Thunder (0-8 overall, 0-3 CCC) and staged a last-minute come from behind victory, 42-37 over the host Thunder.
The Thunder used two consecutive onside kick recoveries and a third fumbled kickoff recovery, to roar out to a 23-0 lead halfway through the first quarter, and it looked like a very long night for the locals.
However, the Tigers would begin their comeback the first time their offense actually had the ball.
The Tigers marched 63 yards in just six plays to score their first points of the game.
Tiger quarterback Donovan Greer, who enjoyed a career night passing (13/17 passing, 201 yards, 2 TD’s), completed throws to Raul Diaz, Owen Baffunno and finally to Kolton Kanemoto (2 receptions, 31 yards, 2 TD’s) from 22 yards out for the touchdown, making the score 23-6 in favor of the home team Thunder.
Following the kickoff, Buhach scored their fourth touchdown making the score 30-6 in favor of the Thunder.
Los Banos used a “trick play” to score for the second time, covering 80 yards in just one play. Greer handed the ball to Joshua Gargano on a jet sweep, and the Tiger junior then pulled up and connected perfectly with a streaking Jack Goodger (4 receptions, 127 yards) on an 80-yard completion for the score, narrowing the Thunder lead to 30-12.
Following a very short Thunder punt, the Tigers began their next possession on the Buhach 31-yard line. A Greer to Goodger 26-yard completion set up a first and goal at the Thunder five-yard line. Dylan Brandi and William Yruegas opened a big hole in the Thunder line and Raul Diaz (22 carries, 97 yards, 3 TD’s) powered into the endzone for the score, and then Diaz ran in the two-point conversion to close the gap to 30-20 in favor of the Thunder.
Following a second short Thunder punt to the Tiger 44 yard, Los Banos used two Greer completions to Yahir Zuniga (3 receptions, 30 yards) and four Diaz runs, the last from 29 yards out, to score his second touchdown, and he again ran in the two-point conversion to close the Tigers to within two points at 30-28.
But back came the Thunder. An Amos Medina nine-yard touchdown and a conversion kick gave the Thunder a 37-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Following the kickoff, the Tigers responded with their fifth touchdown on a six-play, 61-yard drive, aided by two big pass plays. Greer connected with Gargano for 36 yards and Yahir Zuniga for 12 yards to the Buhach six-yard line.
Diaz then scored his third touchdown of the game to close the gap to 37-34.
Then it was up to the Los Banos defense to stop the Thunder to give the Tigers one last shot at victory. And they did just that, led by the outstanding performance of Daniel Deffee (15 tackles), Jared van Loben Sels (10 tackles), Alan Moran (8 tackles) and Luke Reyna, Kanemoto and Diaz with six stops each.
With 4:43 left in the game Damian Calderon made the defensive play of the game when on fourth down he sacked the Buhach quarterback for a loss, turning the ball over to the Tiger offense at Los Banos 18 yard line.
Now with time running down, the Tigers marched 82 yards in 11 plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Greer connected with Byron Zuniga (playing just his first game due to injury) on two consecutive pass plays, and then with his brother Yahir and two more to Goodger. This, combined with four Diaz runs, moved the ball to the nine-yard line with just 43 seconds left in the game.
Now Greer completed his career game with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Kanemoto and with the conversion kick the Tiger comeback victory was complete at 42-37.
The Tigers return home to Loftin Stadium Oct. 25 to host a “Senior Night” contest against the Golden Valley Cougars. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
