CHULA VISTA — Wearing bright gold gloves so his mother can spot him on the field, record-setting receiver Shane Rosenthal of Newbury Park rarely misses passes in his direction. With 62 touchdowns, 324 receptions and more than 5,100 yards in his career, Rosenthal only wishes he could have gotten back a potential interception while playing defense Friday night in a crushing 34-27 defeat to San Diego Lincoln in the Division 1-AA bowl game.
Lincoln quarterback Akili Smith Jr., facing fourth and goal from the 15-yard line with his team down 27-21, threw the pass into the middle of the field. Rosenthal got his hands on the ball in the end zone, but it was deflected into the hands of Joshua Newbern for the tying touchdown with 2:21 left. Newbury Park’s Ryder Sheehan blocked the extra-point attempt to keep the score tied.
Then, with 21.2 seconds left, Smith completed a 14-yard pass to Courtney Miller-Thompson for the go-ahead touchdown, giving Lincoln its first lead of a wild game. The win sends Lincoln (11-2) into next Friday’s 1-AA final against Pittsburg, a 28-27 winner over Folsom.
Rosenthal did all he could in his final high school game, catching eight passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Brady Smigiel, sacked six times in the first half, completed 11 of 25 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns while also running for a touchdown. Newbury Park finished the season 14-1.
Smith, who signed to play at Oregon like his father, got hot in the second half with seven consecutive completions and finished 18 for 29 for 272 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked four times.
Newbury Park coach Joe Smigiel, who has been coaching Rosenthal since he was 8 years old, said, “He’s an impeccable young man. I hate to say it’s over. It’s a lot to cherish.”
In the end, four Newbury Park turnovers proved decisive. The Panthers, Southern Section Division 2 champions, lost three fumbles and also turned the ball over when a punt hit a Newbury Park player. The most costly fumble came on a bad handoff with 5:01 left when the Panthers were starting to finally run the ball effectively and take time off the clock while trying to close out the game. Lincoln scored the final 20 points of the game.
“That’s why it’s such a crazy game,” Joe Smigiel said. “You’re never out of it. CIF champions is what we will always have.”
The first half was filled with unusual happenings, starting with Lincoln being assessed two 15-yard penalties for coming out of the locker room and taunting Newbury Park players. The teams combined for eight sacks. There were consecutive punts of one yard and four yards by Lincoln. There was a one-handed catch by Rosenthal.
San Diego Lincoln celebrates 34-27 win over Newbury Park in Division 1-AA regional final.
(Craig Weston)
Blake Bryce caught a 20-yard touchdown pass on Newbury Park’s first possession. Smith came back to fire a 40-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Grant to tie the game 7-7. The Panthers’ Drew Cofield made a spectacular diving catch in the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown. Smith tied it again with a 29-yard touchdown run that included a 15-yard penalty for spiking the ball. Smigiel scored on a two-yard run with 2.9 seconds left for a 21-14 Newbury Park halftime lead.
Lincoln picked up 11 penalties for 131 yards in the first half and finished with 16 penalties for 170 yards on a night the game ended at 11:41 and lasted 3 hours 26 minutes.
