Nordhoff Beats Calabasas, 21-19, on a Late Field Goal

Nordhoff came from behind to beat Frontier League rival Calabasas, 21-19, at Calabasas Friday night.

Ranger placekicker Ty Jeffries hit a 28-yard field goal with 5:42 left and Nordhoff held on to raise its record to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in League. Calabasas fell to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in League.

The field goal was set up when Calabasas, ahead at the time, 19-18, attempted to pick up a first down on a fake punt play on fourth down on its own 31. The pass, however, fell incomplete.

After a mistake-prone first half, both teams came alive offensively in the second.

Leading, 3-0, Nordhoff drove 48 yards in four plays to go ahead 11-0, when quarterback Doug Jones ran 13 yards for the touchdown. The 2-point conversion was good.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Coyotes’ Kenny Moskow returned the ball to the Nordhoff 32. Following five Jim Ervin runs, the fullback then scored on a six-yard run.

Nordhoff came back with a 79-yard pass play from Jones to Todd Conlan for a touchdown. The Rangers led 18-7.

But Calabasas returned the favor, scoring after seven plays, when Ervin scored from the five.

After a Nordhoff fumble, the Coyotes scored again when Darren Del’Andrae ran in from the eight. That put Calabasas ahead 19-18 with 1:29 left in the third quarter.

Jeffries field goal was the only scoring in the fourth quarter.

Jones had 7 completions on 11 attempts for 134 yards and 1 touchdown. Nordhoff’s defensive secondary held Del’Andrae to 47 yards passing with 5 completions on 13 attempts. Del’Andrae was held to minus 13-yards on 7 carries.

Ervin rushed 26 times for the Coyotes for 88 yards.