Photos by Ray Hamill/HumbopldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — There are a lot of things to admire about how the Ferndale Wildcats are playing football right now, but perhaps most impressive is how they’re finding ways to win games in the fourth quarter.

On Saturday afternoon, the Cats traveled to Crusader Field to renew their rivalry with St. Bernard’s and for the second straight week they rallied in the fourth quarter to knock off a Big 4 team.

Just seven days after defeating Fortuna in the Milk Can game, the Wildcats again dug deep late in the game, outscoring the home team 27-7 in the fourth quarter on the way to winning 39-27.

“Our (mentality) right now is if there’s time on the clock we have a shot,” said Ferndale head coach Clint McClurg, who added “The last couple of weeks have been pretty emotional.”

The big story of the game was the exceptional play of Ferndale junior Prescott Langer, who scored three of his four touchdowns in the final period, setting up one of them on an interception he returned almost 40 yards to the St. Bernard’s seven-yard line.

“I’ve got to tip my cap to coach McClurg and his staff and his players,” St. Bernard’s head coach Matt Tomlin said. “It was an outstanding performance and they’re having an outstanding season, especially Prescott Langer, who played like one of the best players in the H-DN.”

This was another instant classic from a Ferndale team that has quickly established itself as one of the best stories in H-DNL sports this fall.

The victory was the 10th straight for the defending 7-AA state champs dating back to last year, as they improved to 4-0 heading into their Little 4 opener next weekend.

The first half was low scoring and the Crusaders held a slender 7-6 advantage at the break thanks to a pair of big stops by their defense.

St. Bernard’s received the opening kickoff of the game and marched deep into Ferndale territory before turning the ball over on an interception by Tristen Titus, who gave the Cats possession at their own 2.

Check out one of Prescott Langer’s three fourth-quarter touchdowns below …

They then drove 98 yards on 14 plays without a single penalty on the drive and opened the scoring on a Tanner Pidgeon quarterback sneak.

The impressive drive would set the tone for the game, with Langer punishing the SB defensive players behind another physically dominating performance by the Ferndale offensive line, a unit that includes left tackle Angel Zaragoza, left guard Ruben Peredia, center Ethan Weitzel, right guard Henry Westfall and right tackle Jacob Kurwitz.

Remarkably Westfall is the only senior on the line and two of the five starting linemen — Zaragoza and Peredia — are just sophomores.

Tight end Jonah Anderson also provided some key blocks all afternoon.

“Defensively we had some highlights, we just weren’t physical enough against their run today,” Tomlin said. “They were the more physical team today.”

Establishing a bruising ground attack and not relying as much on the option was a big part of the Wildcats’ game plan.

“We’re going to make mistakes, but what I was impressed about was we talked about being physical and establishing the run and not having to lean so much on No. 2 (Pidgeon),” McClurg added. “And we did that.”

Check out Michael Manzi’s TD reception above …

Langer was a big part of that game plan and it worked to near perfection.

“I think he was in the corral and in the stable and he needed to get out and run,” McClurg added. “Getting him going was absolutely part of the game plan.

“Running backs need to find a rhythm sometimes and he was in his rhythm. That was an outstanding game by that young man.

“It was great to see him have that monster game we needed.”

St. Bernard’s would respond to the early setback and pieced together an impressive drive of their own before scoring on a 38-yard pass from quarterback Trenten Hagler to receiver Michael Manzi, who has now put together back-to-back outstanding performances for his team.

Senior Ethan Hagler also had a big game for the home team, most notably in the opening half, and he played a big part in his team’s two big first-half stands on defense, including taking over on downs at their own six-yard line.

The game really got going in the second half.

The Wildcats would add to their tally with 8:35 left in the third quarter on a five-yard Prescott TD run to put them up 12-7, but the home team would respond when Tyler Hinrichs capped a 75-yard, 13-play drive with a one-yard TD run just four minutes later to give SB a 13-12 lead.

Manzi would add a second TD late in the quarter on a 35-yard run and the home team led 20-12 going into the fourth.

As it turns out, the Cats were perfectly comfortable with that, or so it seemed.

Pidgeon got the late rally started when he found the end zone on a 39-yard TD run barely a minute into the final period, and just three plays later Langer pulled down an interception on defense and returned it to the SB seven-yard line, before he fittingly found the end zone on the very next play for his second score of the afternoon.

A two-point conversion pass from Pidgeon to Luke Dixon would put the visitors up 26-20.

The Cats defense held firm on the ensuing drive and Langer would add to the lead on a 35-yard TD run with 4:29 remaining, stretching the advantage to 12.

However, the game was far from decided and the Crusaders would strike quickly themselves, needing just 80 seconds before scoring on a 25-yard Trenten Hagler TD pass to Garrett Shanahan to leave them trailing by just five points.

Check out Luke Dixon’s spectacular one-handed interception below …

But two big plays in the final two minutes would seal the win for Ferndale.

Just three plays after the Cats recovered an onside kick, Langer broke through the SB defense  on a 43-yard TD run, and on the very next play from scrimmage Dixon sealed the victory with a spectacular one-handed interception to end any chance of a miracle finish for the Crusaders.

The loss was the first on the season for the Crusaders, who dropped to 4-1 as they get set for a bye next week before a two-game trip to Tennessee where they will play Grace Baptist Academy and Harding Academy.

“We’re halfway through the season and now we’re 4-1. We’re one win from playoff eligibility and I’m proud of my kids and we’re going to bounce back,” Tomlin added. “We’re looking forward to that trip and bonding as a team.”

In fairness to the Crusaders, an injury to one of their best lineman and team captains, Kieran Flynn, on the opening drive didn’t help matters, nor did the absence of QB Luke Brunton, who suffered an injury last week.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to the Little 4 and will kick off six weeks of conference play against Hoopa Valley in Ferndale next weekend.

Interestingly, with Saturday’s win the Cats and Arcata Tigers are now a combined 5-0 this season against Big 4 teams.