Generals drop heartbreaker in Valley Championship game

The Shafter Generals football season came to an end on Friday with a heartbreaking loss to the Coalinga Horned Toads in the Central Section Division IV championship game, 34-33.

The top-seeded Generals just missed winning their second title in three years, dropping the contest to the third-seeded Horned Toads after allowing Coalinga to come back from a 12-point deficit with under five minutes remaining in the game.

Coalinga got on the board first after a long drive on their first possession, using up seven minutes of the first quarter.

The Generals answered back with a long drive of their own, ending with a touchdown run by Mariyon Sloan. The teams traded touchdowns after that, making the score 14-14. Quarterback Ezekiel Osborn led the Generals to a third quarter drive that put Shafter up 21-14 when Christopher Espinoza took the ball in from seven yards out. Shafter was dealt a big blow in the quarter when Tremelle Spain went for a reception deep in Coalinga territory but went down on the play, needing to be escorted off the field in an ambulance. It was reported that Spain suffered a dislocated knee.

Coalinga tied the score with seven minutes to go in the third quarter on a short touchdown run.

With just two minutes to go in the quarter Osborn hit Adrian Garcia on an 11-yard touchdown pass, putting the Generals back on top.

After the Generals' defense stopped the Horned Toads on their next possession, Shafter had the ball deep in Coalinga territory. Osborn took advantage of the field position and connected with Dylan Hatton, threw his third touchdown of the night, making the score 33-21. Shafter missed the extra point, keeping the lead at 12 points.

In the fourth quarter, the Shafter offense couldn't mount a scoring drive, instead giving the ball to Coalinga for the comeback. At the same time, with only four and a half minutes left in the game, the Shafter defense allowed Coalinga to drive down the field to score, closing the gap at 33-28. Unable to run out the clock with a drive of its own, the Generals gave the ball back with a little over two minutes to go. Coalinga scored with a minute left, making the score 34-33. Shafter had one last chance to drive down the field, but after three first downs, Osborn was intercepted, ending the threat and the game.

It was a tough loss, but the Generals did have several chances to keep their season alive, but the chances weren't taken advantage of. Usually a huge bright spot for the team, the special teams missed out on six points, missing a field goal, missing an extra point kick and failing at a two-point conversion. But it truly was a team loss, with the defense unable to stop Coalinga at the end, and the offense having at least two chances for sure scores that slipped out of receivers' hands.

Coach Jerald Pierucci said that he is really proud of his guys for battling back, and complimented Coalinga. "They made plays when they needed to. You just can't leave points off the board in a game like this. You have to take advantage of every opportunity and we just didn't do it tonight."

Despite the loss, the Generals had another successful season, going 11-2 overall, an SSL title and a Valley Championship appearance. Over the last three years, the team has a record of 29-7, a State-runnerup title, a semifinal appearance last year, and a championship game this year. This squad is still looking for more success, with several players returning next year,