For the first time in eight years, the Carlsbad Lancers upset the La Costa Canyon Mavericks in overtime on a failed 2 point conversion.  Emotions ran high throughout the entire close game, but Carlsbad was able to keep its composure and came out on top.

Senior running back Dylan Rutledge was ready for an emotional game but knew he had to remain focused.

“We had been scouting them all week and we knew that we could beat them; it was just a matter of putting it together and getting it done,” Rutledge said. “The rivalry definitely brings out some emotions.  As far as the need to beat them — because we hadn’t beat them in so long — to be able to do so my senior year is going to be very memorable.”

Three minutes into the game, Rutledge broke a 66-yard run for a touchdown to put the Lancers up 7-0 early in the game. Again at the end of the first quarter, Rutledge ran the ball for a one yard score giving the Lancers a 14-0 lead at the end of the first. Half way through the second quarter, the Mavericks were finally able to put some points on the board with a 4-yard touchdown run. With the score at 14-7, neither team would score for the rest of the half.

With only a field goal in the third, Carlsbad was up 10 points heading into the forth quarter. Off to a quick start, the Mavs were able to score a touchdown fast, putting them down only four. After another Lancer field goal, Carlsbad was up seven, heading into the last few minutes of the game. With under a minute to go, La Costa Canyon stayed in the game with another rushing touchdown. The game was tied 20-20; Carlsbad and La Costa were heading into overtime, which Carlsbad alumni, Coach Bonta, was not excited for.

“It’s a scary thing to go into overtime because the ball could bounce either way,” Bonta said. “Our mentality was that we wanted to be on defense but we lost the coin flip so we were on offense and we had faith in them to score.  We were already preparing on defense and to hold them.”

About a minute in, Carlsbad did score by another Rutledge touchdown putting Carlsbad up 27-20. After a long drive by the Mavs, in the last minute, they scored a touchdown on a 20-yard pass but elected to go for a two-point conversion for the win. Senior linebacker Ray Ligon was prepared for the final play.

“Nothing else really mattered [at that point] — that was it,” Ligon said. “I couldn’t hear anything. It was just such a surreal and intense moment. I kept saying to the defense ‘this is it; this is win or lose.’ It really was win or go home.”

As the play started, the defense knew that LCC’s quarterback was going to keep it so he could run the ball, and he did. As he approached the one-yard line, Ligon wrapped his arms around him for the tackle. The rest of the defense swarmed and pushed LCC back, making the two-point conversion unsuccessful. Carlsbad had won, and the Loud Crowd rushed the field.

“As soon as we won, I ran all the way down to the 10-yard line, looking for someone to high five,” Bonta said. “It was just one of the most exciting things I’ve been a part of. Having graduated from Carlsbad, it’s so fun to see the support that we have, not only from current students, but the alumni too.”

Having won this highly-anticipated rivalry game, Carlsbad was rewarded with the Rotary Cup, for the first time since 2006.

“I was just celebrating with everyone,” Rutledge said. “Then, you look over and the cup is there, and we got even more pumped. It’s definitely a moment I will never forget and shoutout to the defense for ballin’ out and holding the win.”