Photo Credit: Nicole Noel Photography
Cathedral Catholic 20, Carlsbad 16
In one of the most dramatic finishes in San Diego Section Open Division history, the Cathedral Catholic Dons (10-2) erased a 16-point deficit with an explosive fourth quarter to defeat the Carlsbad Lancers (10-2) 20-16 and capture their fourth Open Division championship.
The comeback seemed improbable as Carlsbad dominated the first three quarters. The Lancers jumped ahead 7-0 in the second quarter when quarterback Eli MacNeal connected with Ethan Meyerhoff on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Beckham Filippini added a 37-yard field goal before halftime to extend the lead to 10-0.
Carlsbad appeared to put the game away early in the third quarter when MacNeal found Travis Jeffery for a 48-yard touchdown strike, giving the Lancers a commanding 16-0 advantage.
But the Dons refused to quit.
