Twelve Bridges claims ‘a piece of history’ as it stays perfect to punch ticket to state final
The tears of joy said it all.
The postgame vibe for Twelve Bridges suggested that the deeper this team advances in the postseason, the less it becomes about football. That sentiment rang especially true for the Raging Rhinos of Lincoln, who soaked in the euphoria from having a chance at playing together for another week — and for the biggest stakes.
“These kids, they love each other and they want to be with each other,” said Twelve Bridges coach Chris Bean.
On Saturday in Placer County, Twelve Bridges passed its biggest test to date in the short four-year history of the program. The Rhinos survived a seesaw battle with the Wilcox Chargers of Santa Clara in the CIF NorCal Division 2-A championship, 28-27.
A last-second 46-yard field goal attempt from Wilcox kicker Armando Rodriguez — who drilled one from the same distance earlier in the game — fell short, allowing Twelve Bridges to punch its ticket to the state final next Saturday, where the Rhinos will play Palos Verdes, the Southern Section D-V champion.
“It’s a big honor for all of us,” said Twelve Bridges running back Braeden Ward. “Definitely a piece of history for us, a piece of history for this team, a piece of history for this town, and we’re all definitely happy and very proud of this moment.”
Ward has been the Rhinos’ workhorse all season, averaging better than 200 yards per game on the ground. Saturday was no different as Ward ran 24 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns. With Twelve Bridges trailing 27-22 in the fourth quarter, Ward scooted for a 70-yard gain that led to his own go-ahead 2-yard touchdown with 5:03 to play.
“The love for each other, the love we have for our teammates, man, we’ve all been playing with each other forever,” Ward said. “That’s what kept us pushing throughout this game and what kept us alive.”
On the final drive of the game, Wilcox moved into a position for a 41-yard field goal try for Rodriguez, who was previously 2-for-3 on field goals on the night. But the Chargers were dinged on a delay of game penalty that pushed them five yards farther from the uprights.
“I just wanted to throw up,” said Bean. “That’s a good kicker. You always watch the kickers in pregame, and you go, ‘If it comes down to the kick, we’re in trouble.’ Obviously thankful for an extra five yards.”
Twelve Bridges has become one of the fastest-rising programs in the Sacramento region. The Rhinos reached the Division V championship last year with their first graduating class, won their first Sac-Joaquin Section title last week at the D-IV level and will now compete for a D-II crown at the state level.
“It is a Hollywood story,” Bean said. “Things like this don’t happen. Maybe they do a little bit. But you don’t go from D-5 to D-4 to D-2, and go 14-0. You don’t. You just don’t do that.”
A ‘roller-coaster’ of a game
Wilcox landed the first punch after forcing a turnover on downs from the Rhinos. Brayden Rosa called his own number for a 10-yard score to make it 7-0 with 2:32 left in the first quarter. The Chargers added on with a 35-yard field goal from Rodriguez to make it 10-0 at the 8:51 mark of the second.
Twelve Bridges answered less than a minute later with an 80-yard touchdown connection between Connor Flaherty and Isaiah Rodriguez. Ward’s two-point conversion made it 10-8. The Rhinos forced a turnover on downs and capped their ensuing drive with a 2-yard score from Ward to take a 15-10 lead at the 3:20 mark of the second.
Wilcox cut the deficit to two before halftime as Rodriguez drilled a 46-yard field goal for a 15-13 halftime score.
The Rhinos opened the third with an 80-yard drive resulting in a 7-yard score from Ward to extend the lead to 22-13. But Wilcox answered with an 80-yard touchdown run from Rosa on the first play of the Chargers’ ensuing drive to make it 22-20.
Wilcox forced a punt and took a 27-22 lead into the fourth thanks to Rosa’s third touchdown of the night to go with his 214 yards on the ground.
The Chargers had a chance to add to their lead, but Rodriguez’s 39-yard field goal try missed wide, keeping it a five-point game with 6:50 to play.
Ward then broke off a 70-yard run deep into Wilcox territory and finished the drive with a 2-yard burst that put Twelve Bridges in front, 28-27.
“It was a whole roller-coaster of emotion,” Flaherty said. “We knew it was gonna be a battle. Wilcox is a really good team. Going from D-4 and then moving us up to D-2, we just came out and did the best that we could, came out with the win. Probably not in the way that we wanted it to, but a win’s a win, and we’re going to state.”
Twelve Bridges (14-0) will play Palos Verdes (10-5), 11:30 a.m. Friday at Saddleback College, for the CIF Division 2-A championship.
Nick Pecoraro is a sports journalist and host of “Premier Preps with Nick Pecoraro,” a weekly prep show available on YouTube that recaps games and teams in the Sacramento area each week. Find it at youtube.com/@PremierPreps.
This story was originally published December 7, 2024 at 11:15 PM.