On the verge of going 0-2, the FCC football team was looking for a miracle.
That miracle came Saturday night in the form of 6’1 sophomore wide receiver Corvaughn Archie.
On West Hills’ 31 yard line with five seconds left on the clock quarterback Lance Orender dropped back and threw a jump ball toward the end zone that Archie caught off a tip to secure the victory for FCC 20-19.
Archie, described what happened after he seen the ball tipped toward his direction.
“Leroy [Travis] tipped the ball and I seen it, then I grabbed it,” Archie said. “The defensive player was distraught and trying to take the ball out of my hand with tears coming out of his eyes, but I wasn’t letting it go.”
FCC overcame a game full of mental mistakes, including a handful of dropped passes by Archie.
“We, pretty much, got out played on both sides of the ball, but our team never quit,” said Rams head coach Tony Caviglia. “They a missed bunch of tackles, and dropped balls, but they never gave up.”
West Hills had control of the game early on as they consistently pushed the ball up the field and entered half time leading FCC 10-0.
It wasn’t until the third quarter when the Rams started making their move and showing everyone in the stands that there was another half to be played.
After receiving the kickoff to start the second half, FCC marched down the field on the West Hills. The Falcons’ defense tried to stiffen up their attack, but the Rams had a trick up their sleeve.
The Rams lined up in the wildcat formation with running back Larry Overstreet lined up as the quarter back.
Overstreet faked the West Hills defense like he was about to take off running, but Overstreet then dropped back and threw the ball to a wide open receiver in the end zone for six points.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Falcons botched the return and FCC’s Jacob Holloway pounced on the ball to give the Rams great field position.
The offense headed back onto the field on the West Hills 27 yard line hoping to score once again and tie the game up.
The Rams found themselves in prime position to take the lead once West Hills defensive back, Matt Hawkins, was flagged for pass interference in the end zone.
The penalty put the ball on the three yard line, and the Rams put the ball in the end zone on third and goal to go up 14-10 with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter.
West Hills wasn’t going to allow FCC to run away with the game that easily.
The Falcons worked their way back into the lead in the fourth quarter with a field goal and a touchdown.
West Hills went for two points after scoring the touchdown but failed to convert on the play.
The Falcons now had a 19-14 lead with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.
After both teams couldn’t capitalize on any more scoring the previous seven minutes of the quarter, the Rams offense started their final drive on the 36 yard with just over one minute left in the game.
FCC marched down the field with a sense of urgency as Orender found open receivers as he tried to lead the Rams down the field for the victory.
The Rams now had the ball down on the Falcons’ 31 yard line with five seconds left in the game.
Archie described his thoughts as he was nearing the line of scrimmage for what would be the final play of the game.
“I missed a few passes before that play,” said Archie. “I prayed and said ‘Lord let me make this play to win the game.'”
Archie made the play to not only win the game but it also prevented FCC from starting the 2010 season 0-2 heading into their first home game on Sept. 25 against Merced.
