Ventura falls in CIF-State D3-AA Championship Bowl to St. Ignatius

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Ventura Cougars could not get the key defensive stop they needed in a 42-35 loss to St. Ignatius of San Francisco in the CIF-State Division 3-AA Championship Bowl at Fullerton Union High School.

St. Ignatius senior quarterback Caedon Afsharipour ran for a 27-yard touchdown on 4th and 2 to put the Wildcats up 42-28 with 9:21 to play in the fourth quarter.

Derek Garcia threw his second touchdown pass of the game with 2:40 left as Tristan Philips caught the tipped 4th and goal pass for an 11-yard score.

But the Wildcats recovered the ensuing onside kick and after one first down they ran out the clock and celebrated the championship.

James Watson rushed for two first quarter touchdowns to give Ventura a 14-7 lead.

The Cougars went in front 21-20 with under 3 minutes left in the half on a 1-yard touchdown run by Tristan Savage.

But St. Ignatius grabbed a 28-21 lead in the final minute of the first half on a Luke Tribolet 39-yard touchdown run.

The Wildcats stunned Ventura on the first play from scrimmage of the second half when receiver Hawkes Packard took a swing pass and raced 65 yards for the touchdown. The sophomore receiver broke three Cougars tackles along the way as they went out in front 35-21.

Ventura made it a one score game again as Garcia connected with Jack Cunningham for a 31-yard touchdown and the Cougars were down 35-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

But Ventura never could never catch the Wildcats who won their first CIF-State Championship Bowl in program history.

Ventura ends their historic season at 13-3.