Juan Diego was driving against host Skyline, but time was running out.
Quarterback Zachary Hoffman, who scored twice on the ground, was guiding his club down the field. A touchdown pass to Rylan Davis was called off due to a hold.
That mean the pressure fell on kicker Alex Saunders.
And the senior delivered by connecting on a 33-yard field goal to make it 23-22 Juan Diego.
Skyline had one last chance, and quarterback Tommy McGrath heaved a Hail Mary into the end zone, but it was batted down, allowing the Soaring Eagle to escape with the victory Friday.
“I couldn’t do anything without my teammates around me,” Hoffman said. “I wouldn’t be the player I am without my teammates. I have confidence in these guys 100 percent, and even when we were down, I never doubted my team.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME <br>Juan Diego quarterback Zachary Hoffman rumbled his way to a pair of rushing touchdowns on quarterback keepers, slowly wearing down the Skyline defense to help the Soaring Eagle improve to 2-1.
It was a tale of feast and famine for McGrath. At times he efficiently spread around the ball to multiple receivers. Yioti Karahalios was the recipient of a 31-yard bomb to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead, and it appeared Skyline was well on its way to an easy victory.
However, McGrath also proved to be his own worst enemy. A pair of interceptions toward the end of the second half cost the Eagles dearly. With his team in the red zone, McGrath lobbed the ball to Juan Diego lineman Kyle Abundo, who rumbled his way 50 yards before being brought down by McGrath.
Juan Diego would respond. Hoffman found pay dirt late in the first half then scrambled his way for his second to breathe life into Juan Diego.
McGrath, though, atoned for his errors in the second half with a screen pass to Taylor Larsen that went for a 38-yard touchdown, but it wasn’t quite enough for the home team.