EL CAJONEL CAJON — It is well-known and documented that Grossmont can score from anywhere on the field at any time. After all, the high-powered Foothillers average 546 yards and 42 points per game.
And Friday night was a perfect case in point.
Trailing by five points and facing fourth-and-2 from its own 46-yard line with 1:32 to play, senior quarterback Jaime Odom pulled off a dazzling, 54-yard touchdown run to lift No. 9-ranked Grossmont to a 33-32 victory over Granite Hills in a thrilling Grossmont Hills League showdown.
“We put the ball in our best player’s hand, and he came through,” Grossmont coach Tom Karlo said. “He’s phenomenal. What more can I say?”
It was a read-option play in which Odom faked a handoff to Robert Tucker, cut right up the field to ensure the first down and then cut left, almost got tripped and managed to keep his feet before burning the defense for the big score.
“I was barely able to keep my balance and keep going,” Odom said.
Grossmont (6-1, 2-0) totaled 446 yards and ruined homecoming for Granite Hills (4-3, 0-2).
Prior to his heroic finish, Odom had thrown an interception that was returned by homecoming king Jeremiah Satberry 62 yards and led to an Eagles’ 18-yard TD run by Jaquayle Hodges to give Granite Hills a 32-21 lead with 8:00 left.
Tucker, however, returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards to the 5-yard line, and Odom scored on a fourth-and-goal from 3 yards out to make it 32-27.
“They made one more great play than we did,” Granite Hills coach Kellan Cobbs said. “It was a really good football game by two great teams.”
Odom finished with 114 rushing yards on eight carries, and he was 17-of-30 ing for 129 yards.
Tucker rushed for 191 yards on 14 carries and scored three times in the first half as Grossmont took a 21-19 lead into intermission.
The Eagles’ Justus McComb was 24-of-38 ing for 267 yards and three TD es — 18 yards to Carlos DeLeon, 23 yards to Juni Harris and 36 yards to Jacob Setterberg.
Grossmont 7 14 0 12 — 33
Granite Hills 7 12 6 7 — 32
GH – Carlos DeLeon 18 from Justus McComb (Gavin Armstrong kick)
G – Robert Tucker 67 run (Axel Gonzalez kick)
GH – Juni Harris 23 from Justus McComb (kick blocked)
G – Robert Tucker 13 run (Axel Gonzalez kick)
G – Robert Tucker 55 run (Axel Gonzalez kick)
GH – Keyvon Martin 1 run (run failed)
GH – Jacob Setterberg 36 from Justus McComb ( failed)
GH – Jaquayle Hodges 18 run (Gavin Armstrong kick)
G – Jaime Odom 3 run ( failed)
G – Jamie Odom 54 run ( failed)
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
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