ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
This time mistakes cost Tabor a ball game they well could have won.
With the score tied 20-20 late in the third quarter, and Tabor on the move, quarterback Travis Davis threw an ill-advised pass as he was being dragged to the ground, the ball was intercepted by Sterling’s Chad Matthews, who ran it in 27 yards to give Sterling the lead for good, 27-20.
The two teams traded scores in the fourth quarter, to make the final 35-20 in a seesaw battle at Sterling.
Sterling scored first on a six-yard run off a fake field goal on their opening drive. Tabor came back on an 89-yard pass from Travis Davis to Henry Cantu to knot the score at 7.
Tabor took the lead with 4:37 left in the half on a 33-yard field goal by Dylan Pohlman. But Sterling struck back on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Cullen Riner to Daniel Brown to take a 14-10 halftime lead.
Tabor cut the lead to one point in the third quarter on another 33-yard field goal by Pohlman. But on their next drive, Riner, on 4th and seven, threw a 30-yard touchdown strike to Anthony Taviera to give Sterling a 20-13 lead.
Tabor tied the game at 20 with 2:50 left in the third quarter on a deep 95-yard TD pass from Davis to Cantu. That’s when disaster struck on the Bluejay’s next possession as Sterling stole the momentum, the lead and ultimately the game on Matthews’ 27-yard interception and touchdown.
Tabor, passing throughout the game, picked up 368 yards through the air as Davis completed 21 passes on 49 attempts. The Jays added 30 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
With the loss, Tabor falls to 1-5 on the year.
Tabor loses close one to Sterling, 35-27
