At some point in the next three weeks this magical run for Pleasant Hill will end, but Friday night at Summit Christian, the dream postseason lived on.
The Roosters defeated Summit Christian 33-29 in the Class 3 District 7 Final.
And just like the week prior when they knocked off Odessa, they shut out the Eagles in the fourth quarter while overcoming a double-digit deficit.
It sets up a home quarterfinal playoff game for Pleasant Hill who entered the postseason seeded fifth in its district -- out of five teams. They’ll play St. Pius X.
“I wouldn’t have believed you,” senior linebacker Hayden Hocker said at the idea of hosting a quarterfinal football game after finishing the regular season 4-5.
Thanks to Hocker and his defensive teammates that’s where the Roosters are.
Trailing 29-26 midway through the fourth quarter, Pleasant Hill had just failed to convert on a fourth and short, giving Summit Christian the ball in Rooster territory with a chance to make it a two-score game.
Instead, Hocker fell on a fumble which gave the ball back to Pleasant Hill.
“I saw the running back get the ball, my other linebacker Brayden Bush came in and popped it out and I saw it on the ground, and I hopped on her,” Hocker said.
Pleasant Hill would march down the field eventually scoring on a three-yard run by Dylan Kauffman, to give Pleasant Hill its first lead since 16-8.
“We needed something, “Pleasant Hill coach Justin Hamilton said. “After we went for it on fourth-and-one, the fact that our kids were able to bail me out as a coach and get a fumble recovery was huge for us.”
After scoring, the defense would hold on once more after the Eagles drove into Pleasant Hill territory.
“Both teams battled and wanted it bad,” Summit Christian coach Todd Berck said. “They battled their hearts out. Pleasant Hill got down 10 and never quit. We talked all year that these big playoff games were going to come down to special teams and turnovers and that’s what it came down to.”
In the first quarter the Eagles had the chance to take an early lead, but a touchdown pass from Joseph Lepak to Lincoln Sprouse was called back for an illegal man down field. Instead, the Eagles turned it over on downs.
Lepak would score twice on rushing touchdowns including a 75-yard score in the third quarter.
“Number 6 (Lepak) is freaking good,” Hamilton said. “That quarterback is tough. We were worried about him coming in.”
For Pleasant Hill, it’s a stark turnaround from a year ago when they went 2-8 in Hamilton’s first season, which ended with a playoff loss to the Eagles.
“Our kids kept believing,” Hamilton said. “We knew we were good. Every game we lost was close. I told the kids to keep things in perspective because the teams we were close to this year, we got blown out by last year.”
