<body><div>HOLTVILLE — Thirteen seconds. One play. One chance to keep a season alive.With everything on the line Friday night, Nov. 6, at Birger Field, the Holtville Vikings needed one final touchdown and then one more play to decide their postseason fate against Ramona.Senior quarterback Kai Gonzalez delivered the touchdown with 13.6 seconds remaining, and on the ensuing two-point conversion, he found tight end Zavien Aguirre in the end zone to give the eighth-seeded Vikings a stunning 32-31 victory over the ninth-seeded Bulldogs in the first round of the CIF San Diego Section Division II playoffs.It was a finish that left little room for error. One successful conversion sent Holtville into the quarterfinals. One failed attempt would have ended the Vikings’ season.Instead, the Vikings made the play that mattered most, bringing a thrilling back-and-forth contest to an unforgettable conclusion.The victory was especially meaningful for a Vikings team that had battled Ramona throughout the evening in a matchup that featured two evenly matched opponents, plenty of offensive production and several momentum swings.“We just match up really even with them (Ramona). Ever since that first game we’ve been pretty even. They throw the ball well and we run the ball really well,” said Holtville tight end Zavien Aguirre, referring to Holtville’s 17-15 opening-game victory over the Bulldogs in Ramona on Aug. 21.That contrast in styles was on full display throughout the night. Ramona leaned on the passing combination of senior quarterback Ryan Shaw and senior receiver Noah Bedia, while Holtville relied heavily on its ground game, led by sophomore running backs Leo Riebeling and Rodrigo Martinez.In the end, it was the Vikings’ ability to run the football, especially when the pressure was at its highest, that proved to be the difference.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3rsWiQ_1GrZCipM00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3rsWiQ_1GrZCipM00" width="649" height="468" ><figcaption>Holtville High sophomore running back Leo Riebeling looks for yardage during the Vikings’ 32-31 victory over Ramona in a CIF-San Diego Section Division II opening-round playoff game at Birger Field in Holtville on Friday, Nov. 6. | GILBERT HARRISON COURTESY PHOTO</figcaption></figure>Holtville’s final possession was a display of determination after the Vikings had watched a lengthy drive come up empty earlier in the fourth quarter. That previous possession had consumed nearly six minutes before ending with a turnover on downs at the Ramona 34-yard line with 6:13 remaining.Rather than let the missed opportunity linger, the Vikings regrouped and prepared for one more chance.“Before the final drive we kinda got stopped on the previous drive but we had to let that go and focus on the next play. The line was great on that drive and we were moving down the field. I knew when I got the call for the touchdown I wasn’t going to be stopped, I just dove for it and got into the end zone,” said Gonzalez.Riebeling played a huge role in making sure that final opportunity turned into points. The sophomore running back had 51 yards on four carries during the game-winning drive, including a spectacular 29-yard run on a third-and-16 situation that set up Gonzalez’s touchdown run.With 13.6 seconds remaining, Gonzalez took the handoff on a sweep to his right and powered his threw himself into the end zone from three yards out. The touchdown pulled Holtville within one point at 31-30.But the Vikings still needed one more play.Holtville has made a habit of going for two-point conversions following touchdowns, and Friday night was no exception. After taking a timeout to make an adjustment, Gonzalez rolled to his left on a bootleg and found Aguirre in the end zone for the conversion.Just like that, the Vikings had completed the comeback and taken a 32-31 lead.Ramona had one final opportunity after the kickoff, starting at its own 25-yard line. The Bulldogs completed a pass to the 41-yard line, but time ran out before they could get another play off. The Vikings’ sideline erupted as players celebrated a victory that had seemed very much in doubt just minutes earlier.The dramatic finish was the culmination of a game that featured five lead changes and plenty of offensive fireworks.Holtville established its running game early, putting together a 13-play, 80-yard opening drive. Riebeling carried the ball six times during the possession before finishing it with a one-yard touchdown plunge. He also ran in the two-point conversion to give the Vikings an 8-0 lead with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter.Ramona answered with a five-play, 60-yard drive of its own. Shaw finished the possession with a one-yard quarterback sneak, and the Bulldogs converted the two-point attempt to tie the game at 8-8 with 2:38 left in the opening period.The Bulldogs then took advantage of a Holtville fumble at the Vikings’ seven-yard line. Ramona needed just one play to capitalize, with Shaw connecting with Bedia for a seven-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion gave Ramona a 15-8 advantage with 1:20 remaining in the first quarter.Holtville responded in the second quarter, thanks in part to a defensive play that shifted momentum.Sophomore Sammy Hilfiker intercepted Shaw and returned the ball from the Holtville 35-yard line to the Ramona 27. Five plays later, sophomore running back Rodrigo Martinez broke into the end zone on a 13-yard touchdown run.Riebeling added the two-point conversion, putting Holtville back in front, 16-15, with 8:48 remaining in the first half.The Bulldogs answered once again, as Shaw connected with Bedia for a 26-yard touchdown pass with 5:01 remaining before halftime. The extra point gave Ramona a 21-16 lead, which held through the break.Holtville regained the advantage midway through the third quarter when Gonzalez scored on a 10-yard touchdown run. Riebeling added another two-point conversion, giving the Vikings a 24-21 lead heading into the final period.Ramona’s comeback attempt began immediately in the fourth quarter. Noah Korsbjerg opened the period with a 42-yard field goal to tie the contest at 24-24.The Bulldogs then took advantage of Holtville’s unsuccessful fourth-quarter drive. Following a penalty, Ramona moved 53 yards in five plays, with Shaw finding Bedia for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 3:29 remaining. Korsbjerg added the extra point, giving Ramona a 31-24 lead.It appeared the Bulldogs had done enough to pull off the road playoff victory, but Holtville had other plans.The Vikings’ ground game was the foundation of their comeback and a major reason they were able to stay competitive throughout the evening. Riebeling finished with 125 yards on 18 carries, while Martinez added 106 yards on just 10 attempts. Together, the sophomore running backs accounted for 231 rushing yards and consistently gave the Vikings opportunities to move the chains.The Vikings also made their presence felt defensively, intercepting Shaw three times to help offset Ramona’s effective passing attack. Hilfiker’s second-quarter interception was particularly valuable, setting up a Holtville touchdown that helped keep the game within reach.For Ramona, the loss brings a 6-5 season to a close. The Bulldogs demonstrated throughout the night that they could match Holtville play for play, but the Vikings managed to make the final play when it mattered most.For Holtville, the victory moves the Vikings to 8-3 and keeps their postseason journey alive. Now the Vikings turn their attention to an even bigger challenge, as they travel to take on top-seeded Poway at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the CIF San Diego Section Division II quarterfinals.</div></body>

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HOLTVILLE — Thirteen seconds. One play. One chance to keep a season alive. With everything on the line Friday night, Nov. 6, at Birger Field, the Holtville Vikings needed one final touchdown and then one more play to decide their postseason fate against Ramona. Senior quarterback Kai Gonzalez delivered...

Last-Second Touchdown Gives Vikings 32-31 Playoff Win

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HOLTVILLE — Thirteen seconds. One play. One chance to keep a season alive. With everything on the line Friday night, Nov. 6, at Birger Field, the Holtville

Last-Second Touchdown Gives Vikings 32-31 Playoff Win

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