HS FOOT: La Canada wins wild tiebreaker, takes third in Rio Hondo League

Not only did the La Canada football team win its regular-season finale Friday night, but the Spartans survived a wild California tiebreaker with Temple City to secure the final automatic qualifying berth from the Rio Hondo League.

The Spartans defeated South Pasadena 39-20, then waited for Temple City to arrive at South Pasadena High after the Rams suffered a 19-14 loss at San Marino.

Yes, after the Rams lost to San Marino (7-3, 3-2) and the Titans won a three-way coin flip with Temple City (5-4-1, 3-2) and La Canada (5-4, 3-2) to secure the league's No. 2 entry behind Monrovia (10-0, 5-0) in the Mid-Valley Division playoffs, Temple City and La Canada met at South Pasadena to participate in the tiebreaker to determine the league's No. 3 playoff entry.

After neither team scored in the first overtime, La Canada's Deleep Sandhu scored on a 1-yard run in the second extra period to tie the tiebreaker 7-7 and force a third overtime.

Temple City scored on a 25-yard pass on the first play of its third series and converted the extra point for a 14-7 lead, but the Spartans responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rocky Moore to Josh Hanson to pull within a point.

Then, La Canada coach Dan Yoder gambled and decided to go for the 2-point conversion and the win. The risk paid off, as Moore connected with Michael Arkfeld on a 3-yard pass to the right side to lift La Canada to the 15-14 victory.