In a district rival match-up, the Irvine Valley flag football team fell behind early, was right there at the end, but lost to Saddleback, 19-12, Friday afternoon at Saddleback.
The Bobcats held on for the win in the final minutes.
Saddleback led, 19-0, at one point before Irvine Valley came storming back to make a game of it.
The Bobcats then made a stop on fourth and goal with under a minute remaining to hang on for the win.
Irvine Valley came back in the fourth quarter as it drove down the field and scored with 9:10 remaining when Mia Lacy found Crystal Cervantes for a 3-yard score.
IVC missed the extra point and the Saddleback lead stood at 19-6.
The Lasers then made things interesting in the final minutes when Lacy hooked up with Chase Dionio for a 16-yard touchdown with 1:18 remaining.
Saddleback had a chance to run out the clock, but then had a pass ricochet off an intended receiver into the hands of an Irvine Valley defender inside the 20-yard line with under a minute remaining.
The Lasers had four opportunities to score, but couldn't get into the end zone as the clock was winding down. The Bobcats then ran one play on offense as the clock expired.
BOX SCORE
Saddleback - 7:50 Q1: Clavijo 37-yard pass to Goedhart (Xtra pt good) 7-0 SC
Saddleback - 2:05 Q1: Clavijo 41-yard pass to Alba (Xtra pt no good) 13-0 SC
Saddleback - 5:10 Q3: Clavijo 18-yard pass to Goedhart (Xtra pt no good) 19-0 SC
Irvine Valley - 9:10 Q4: Lacy 3-yard pass to Cervantes (Xtra pt no good) 19-6 SC
Irvine Valley - 1:18 Q4: Lacy 16-yard pass to Dionio (Xtra pt no good) 19-12 SC
Irvine Valley plays again on Wednesday at home at 4:30 p.m. vs. the University of Redlands on IVC's soccer practice field.
