LOWER LAKE — A 1-yard touchdown pass from Richard Tucker to Alphonsos Daniels with three seconds remaining and Tucker”s ensuing two-point conversion run lifted the Lower Lake Trojans into a 34-34 tie with the Cloverdale Eagles in a North Central League I varsity football game Friday night at Gordon Sadler Field in Lower Lake.
Lower Lake (0-4-1 league, 0-7-1 overall) had trailed by two touchdowns at one point but the Trojans rallied on the strength of Tucker”s throwing arm and his ability to make the right decision at the right time.
“He made at least four audibles that were clutch,” Lower Lake coach Mike Huffman said of his junior quarterback, who called an audible on the conversion run that tied the game.
Tucker finished the night 14-for-23 for 213 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
“All of the interceptions came in the first half,” Huffman said. “I talked to him at halftime and got him to relax a little bit. He came out and played great in the second half.”
Tucker”s favorite targets were tight end Jesse Meldrum and wide receiver Daniels. All three of Meldrum”s receptions went for touchdowns — 9 and 52 yards in the second quarter and 14 yards in the fourth quarter. Daniels had 89 yards on eight catches, including the touchdown that made it 34-32 in the final seconds.
“He”s a great kid,” Huffman said of Tucker.
Jared Thompson also rushed for a score in the third quarter. Jerald Drummond finished with 91 yards on 17 carries.
While neither team has a chance to capture the league title, a California tiebreaker was held at game”s end and Cloverdale (1-3-1, 1-6-1) won it. Officially the game is a draw.
“I know it”s not a win, but to drive down the field and score like that with three seconds left and then get the two-point conversion, this is sweet,” Huffman said. “I can”t say enough about how hard these kids battled.”
Lower Lake”s defense had seven sacks, four of them by Josh Gamble.
