California edges Burbank, 24 - 21

California edges Burbank, 24-21
By Roger Murray, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/27/2009, Whittier News

WHITTIER - Quarterback Adam Contreras connected with Terris Jones on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 26.4 seconds left to play to give California High School a 24-21 win over visiting Burbank in their CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division second-round playoff game Friday night. The win put the Condors in next week's semifinals against Charter Oak, which beat West Covina, 35-10.

Jones' clutch catch put a damper on a sparkling comeback by the Bulldogs (9-3), who had taken a 21-17 lead when Ulises Ochoa (21 carries, 234 yards) raced 77 yards for a touchdown with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Ochoa's run came just two plays after California (9-2-1) had taken a 17-14 lead when Kevin Attanasio ran 39 yards on a reverse for a touchdown with 2:57 left in the third quarter.

Jones, who entered the game with 1,525 rushing yards on the season, had 160 yards on 24 carries. First-half scoring included three big plays. California's Bryan Barragan returned the opening kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown with Attanasio throwing the key block at the Burbank 38-yard line to clear the way.

Burbank responded with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by Ochoa's 8-yard run to tie the score with 7:08 left in the first quarter. California's third possession began at its own 48 late in the quarter and after one first down, the Condors had to settle for Tyler Hadden's 50-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead.

The Condors forced a pair of punts, but fumbled away their possession in between. Burbank gained a 14-10 halftime advantage when quarterback Adam Coleman scrambled to the sideline and then connected with wide receiver Jackson Diamond, who broke a tackle at the California 42 and completed a 70-yard pass play.

California's offense never got untracked in the first half.
Burbank's first-half ground game was led by Ochoa, who had 98 yards on 11 carries, but Coleman struggled as he completed just 3 of 10 passes.