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Serrano stuns Buena with 2 late touchdowns to win the CIF-SS Division 8 Championship

BUENA LOSES CIF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.00_01_26_11.Still001
Buena loses in the final seconds as they fall 21-14 to Serrano in the CIF-SS Division 8 title game.

VENTURA, Calif. —  Buena was just over three minutes away from winning the school's first CIF-Southern Section football championship.

But two big scoring plays in the final 3:12 of the game stunned the Bulldogs as Serrano wins the CIF-SS Division 8 title 21-14.

The game-winning touchdown came with under 30 seconds left on an unlikely play from Serrano.

From his own 21 yard line Payton Cornell threw his first pass of the game and he connected on a bomb to Taylor Chaffee who had played quarterback all game long.

After catching the ball at about the Buena 40, Chaffee broke free from the defender and raced the rest of the way for a 79-yard touchdown reception with just 21.2 seconds left.

The stunning play came just moments after Buena had pinned the Diamondbacks on the one-yard line after a punt by Zane Carter with 1:18 left.

But after picking up a first down, Serrano took a shot to win the game and they hit the home run ball with the deep pass.

The game seemed headed for overtime after Serrano tied it up at 14 on a 42-yard run by Rigo Cabral who managed to keep his feet when it looked like Buena had him bottled up.

Buena was held scoreless in the second half after starting the game with touchdowns on their first two drives.

Zane Carter capped off the Bulldogs opening drive with a four-yard touchdown run.

Early in second quarter with the game tied at 7 Buena went back in front on a one-yard touchdown plunge by running back Jake Murphy and the Bulldogs led 14-7 at halftime.

Buena played four games this year that was decided by 1 point so it was no surprise that the championship game was a nail-biter.

Buena finishes a great season at 10-4 but it ends with a heartbreaking loss.

Article Topic Follows: High School Sports

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Mike Klan

Mike Klan is the sports director for News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Mike, click here.

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Blake DeVine

Blake DeVine is a multimedia journalist and sports anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Blake, click here.

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