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Falcons boot Gators, secure Southeast’s No. 2 seed

Foothill football coach Marty Redmond entered Thursday’s game at Green Valley knowing his team needed to win by at least 10 points to earn a home game in the Division I Sunrise Region playoffs.

With his team leading 55-48, Redmond called a timeout with 0.6 seconds to go and trotted out kicker Cory Fisher to try to secure a No. 2 seed for the postseason.

Fisher nailed a 33-yard field goal to lift the Falcons to a stunning 58-48 win over fourth-ranked Green Valley.

“These kids deserve a home playoff game,” said Redmond, whose team would have been relegated to the No. 3 seed and forced to travel next week had it not won by at least 10. “Our offense hasn’t looked good at all the last couple of weeks, but they stepped things up tonight. I’m proud of the way they batttled against a good football team.”

Frank Canales’ 23-yard field goal with 4:56 to go inched the Gators (7-2, 3-1 Southeast League) within 55-48, but Green Valley never got another chance to score.

The Falcons (5-4, 3-1) used the running of Justice Jackson to get into position for Fisher’s kick. Jackson, who had 165 yards on 23 carries and scored twice, rushed for 29 yards on the final drive.

Foothill turned in possibly its best offensive performance of the season, gaining 472 yards and getting three touchdown passes from Devon Mueller.

In all, the two offenses combined for 919 yards. Each time the high-powered Gators offense found the end zone, Foothill answered.

“We knew they were going to score,” said Redmond, whose team will host Las Vegas in a region quarterfinal. “The key was if we were going to match their offense. We made the plays all night long, including the final drive.”

Mueller threw touchdowns of 60 yards to Fisher, 11 yards to James Hagen and 27 yards to Nick Gardner.

Green Valley quarterback Christian Lopez ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 191 yards.

The Gators were dealt a big blow when leading rusher Albert Lake was injured on his first carry and didn’t return. Brenan Adams stepped in and rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown for Green Valley, which will visit four-time defending Sunrise champion Liberty to start the postseason next week.

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