Cents comeback bid falls short

Saugus running back Troy Williams (34) picks up 25 yards on a run against Camarillo on Thursday night at College of the Canyons.

Saugus running back Troy Williams (34) picks up 25 yards on a run against Camarillo on Thursday night at College of the Canyons.

Missing its starting quarterback and challenged throughout its game Thursday night at College of the Canyons, the Saugus Centurions kept fighting back.

But in the end, the Centurions’ fill-in quarterback and starting place kicker had his potential game-winning kick blocked and Saugus lost 34-32 to the Camarillo Scorpions.

The Centurions (1-4) never gave up and kept pushing forward behind Louis Eusebi, who answered the bell with senior quarterback Chris Hamilton sidelined with a broken arm.

Eusebi put his team in position to win the game, but had his 37-yard field goal attempt blocked with seven seconds left in the game.

“We use a next-man-up mentality,” said Saugus head coach Jason Bornn. “We try to prepare them for everything, and I’m happy with the way they competed and battled until the very end.”

Eusebi finished with 178 yards and two scores on 20 carries, while also throwing for 121 yards and two scores on 10-of-19 passing.

Saugus running back Troy Williams ran the ball 29 times for 210 yards and a touchdown.

Eusebi shook off some early jitters and hit Kevin Venger on a 19-yard scoring strike late in the opening quarter and then found Vinny Martucci from 24-yards out midway through the second quarter to cut Camarillo’s lead to 21-12.

However, Eusebi fumbled in his own end zone and Camarillo fell on it for a 27-12 lead at the half.

The Saugus quarterback scored on a 37-yard touchdown run with 4:47 left in the third quarter to cut the Scorpions’ lead to 27-19.

Saugus held on its next defensive drive, but muffed a punt deep in their own end and four plays later the Scorpions (4-1) took a 34-19 lead when quarterback Jake Constantine found Elijah Alexander on a 12-yard scoring strike.

Williams’ 14-yard touchdown run with 7:08 cut the lead to 34-26.

After the Saugus defense once again held, Eusebi and the Saugus offense took over on their own 6-yard line with just 1:45 to play.

Eusebi drove his team down the field and capped off an impressive drive with a 5-yard scoring run.

After the two-point conversion failed, Saugus recovered the ensuing onside kick and after yet another big Eusebi run, the field goal attempt was blocked.