Sentinels score late to claim key Bay League victory
INGLEWOOD — Quarterback Lincoln Jahn engineered a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback Friday as Inglewood rallied from a 10-point deficit to defeat Palos Verdes, 26-23, in a game that figures to have major implications in the Bay League race.
Jahn threw three touchdown passes, including a 13-yard strike to Trent Bellamy and a game-changing 80-yard connection to Andre Williams. The decisive score came on a 19-yard run by Semaj Welch with 1:10 remaining, giving Inglewood (7-1, 2-0 Bay) the lead for good.
Late comeback and defensive stands
Inglewood trailed 16-6 after three quarters but flipped the game in the fourth. The Sentinels' defensive front, highlighted by linemen Myels Smith and Elija Harmon, helped contain Palos Verdes' high-powered offense long enough for Jahn to mount the rally.
- Three TD passes from Jahn, including the 80-yard bomb to Williams.
- Game-winning rushing TD by Welch with 1:10 left on the clock.
- Final attempt: Palos Verdes' 51-yard field goal by Niko Dragin fell short as time expired.
Palos Verdes quarterback Ryan Rakowski finished with three touchdown passes as well and connected on a crucial fourth-down play to Jalen Flowers to get the Sea Kings into Inglewood territory with seconds remaining.
“I guess they didn’t even see us spike the ball,” Palos Verdes coach Guy Gardner said, adding that the referees’ explanation only mentioned the two Inglewood players down after the previous play. “So, that (spike) in their eyes never happened, it was the injuries that happened. We all thought we spiked the ball, so we’re waiting to run the next play.”
Controversial finish
The game’s ending drew controversy. After a fourth-and-2 completion by Rakowski to Flowers kept Palos Verdes alive, the Sea Kings hurried to spike the ball. Officials had stopped the clock for two Inglewood players who were down after the previous play, and when play resumed the clock began running. Palos Verdes called a timeout but only after the clock had dwindled to one second, forcing Dragin to attempt a 51-yard field goal that fell short.
The sequence left Palos Verdes coach Gardner disputing whether the spike had been recognized before the clock ran. The Sea Kings, who had entered the game 6-1 and 1-1 in league play, were denied what would have been a tying kick with virtually no time left.
What the result means
The victory improves Inglewood to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in Bay League play, positioning the Sentinels as strong contenders in what appears to be a league-deciding matchup between two of the circuit’s top teams. Palos Verdes drops to 6-1 and 1-1 in league.
| Team | Overall | Bay League |
|---|---|---|
| Inglewood | 7-1 | 2-0 |
| Palos Verdes | 6-1 | 1-1 |
Beyond the standings, Inglewood’s late scoring and defensive resilience under pressure will be encouraging signs for the Sentinels as the schedule tightens. For Palos Verdes, the loss marks the team’s first defeat of the season and raises questions about late-game clock management after the disputed sequence at the finish.
Both teams showed why they are among the Bay League’s top programs: offensive firepower, big-play capability and playmakers on both sides of the ball. The immediate takeaway for Inglewood is a statement win on the road; for Palos Verdes it is a narrow loss that may prompt review of end-of-game procedures and situational discipline.
Fans and league officials will likely continue to talk about the final seconds, but the box score will record a one-point margin that keeps Inglewood unbeaten in league play and Pemits a pivotal weekend win with potential playoff seeding implications.
Coverage note: Game details and quotes were drawn from reporting by the Los Angeles Times and game accounts immediately following the contest.
