Last-minute touchdown dooms Rocklin in D-II final

Friday night's Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game between No. 1 seed Rocklin and No. 3 Grant at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento was one of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend. It featured two of the top five teams in the section and was a rematch of last year's CIF NorCal Regional Division 2-AA final. A 24-yard touchdown pass from Luke Alexander to Zo Edwards in the final minute gave Grant a 30-28 victory in a rematch that didn't disappoint, with both teams showcasing their explosive playmaking ability and flexing their defensive muscles. Grant's sideline exploded in jubilation as Edwards made the catch in the corner of the end zone fighting through double coverage, while Rocklin's sat in stunned silence as the Thunder faithful watched a mob of Pacers celebrate with the sophomore tight end. Rocklin had 34 seconds to make something happen and moved the ball downfield well initially, reaching its own 42-yard-line. The Thunder took a deep shot over the middle that would have moved them to the edge of field goal range, but it was tipped by Grant's Tyron Carter and snagged by Aric Anderson for an interception to secure the victory. It's the second year in a row Rocklin's season ended at the hands of Grant. Thunder coach Jason Adams praised his team after reaching the section championship game for the third time in four years. "We're surrounded by winners. We've got kids who like to work hard. We've got coaches that like to work hard. Just getting here is really hard in this region," Adams said. "There's so many good programs, Grant being one of them. Getting a chance to measure yourself against those guys when it's win or go home is why we all do it." Rocklin's defense had two stops in the red zone in the second half, but the Pacers (10-3) drove 98 yards in the final minutes, as Alexander picked apart the Thunder with big plays and short passes to move the Pacers down the field. Alexander's game-winning strike to Edwards was set up by a 45-yard gain on a deep ball to Cheese Shabazz, who tiptoed the sideline to stay in bounds and flip the momentum and the field position. Alexander passed for 362 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. His top targets were tight end Edwards, who had seven catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and Shabazz, who had six catches for 127 yards and a score. Brandon Lambert had a touchdown reception and scoring run. Rocklin quarterback Reeve Slone moved the ball well through the air as well, stepping up to make big plays when the Thunder needed him most. He slung it around for 272 yards, which included a 71-yard strike to Mavrik Collins that cut the Grant lead down to three to end the third quarter and a go-ahead 89-yard touchdown to Owen DiSalvo in the fourth quarter. DiSalvo also reeled in a 21-yard touchdown in the first quarter as well. Collins was strong defensively, adding an interception that seemed as if it would seal the deal before the Pacers forced the punt that set up their game-winning drive. "That kid loves to compete and he has fun all the time," Adams said of Collins. "He literally has fun at practice. Mavrik is one of those guys who personifies that it's still a football game; it's a game. It's hard when you lose, but he loves playing the game, and he loves practice. He's great teammate, humble kid. He's just been a joy to coach." It's the third consecutive section title for Grant. The Pacers won the previous two Division III championships. It's also the first time in program history the Pacers have won three straight section titles. Rocklin's loss is a bitter end to an otherwise great season. The Thunder finish the year 10-3, and Adams says he expects them to be ready to make another deep run next season. "I heard this from a wise coach the other day; he told me that tradition never graduates. I'm hoping we have that," Adams said. "We've been on a nice run here, and staying healthy and beating good teams is hard to do in this area. We've got a nice little tradition going, so we're just hoping to build off of that." The Pacers will await their draw for the CIF NorCal Regional Bowl next week, as they seek a third consecutive trip to a state championship game.