Mike Nestor’s block of an extra point attempt by the Santaluces Chiefs that would have tied the game 26-26 with 6:27 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the OH football team its third win of the season, keeping the Lions undefeated at 3-0.

In the win over Santaluces, Lions’ quarterback Anthony Petillo passed for two touchdowns and rushed for one, and running back Reis Clark rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown.

The scoring got underway when a 45-yard run to the Chief’s 5-yard line by Clark on OH’s second possession of the game was followed two plays later by the Petillo 3-yard touchdown run. A bad snap on the extra point attempt left the Lions with a 6-0 lead just 3:57 into the game.

Two possessions later, Petillo found wide receiver Michael Ippolito all alone at the Santaluces 25-yard line. Ippolito outran the Chiefs’ safety to the end zone for 35-yard touchdown play. A Lions’ two-point conversion play failed, but the Lions held a 12-0 lead with 2:29 remaining in the first quarter.

Santaluces was able to close the score to 12-7 at the close of the first quarter on a fourth down 42-yard touchdown pass after being set up on the Lions 45 on a kick return.

The Lions and Chiefs traded stalled drives throughout the second quarter until Petillo hooked up with Nestor on a 27-yard touchdown pass with just 1:16 left in the first half of play. Omar Iqab’s extra-point kick gave the Lions a 19-7 lead going into halftime.

On their first possession of the second half, the Lions stretched the lead to 26-7 on a 57-yard touchdown drive that featured a 24-yard run by Jonathan Rosme and a 17-yard touchdown scamper by Clark. Iqab’s point after kick was good.

The Chiefs did not roll over and play dead, however, as they were able to pull within one point, 26-25, after scoring 18 unanswered points on three touchdowns. The first of the three scores came on a five yard dump off pass to the Chiefs’ Bradley Toussaint who eluded Lions’ defenders on an 80-yard run to the end zone. The extra point attempt was missed. leaving the score 26-13.

With 3:40 left in the third quarter, a Petillo pass intended for Ippolito was intercepted for a 60-yard pick-six by Santaluces defensive back Tariq Harris.  Again, the point after conversion failed for the Chiefs, leaving them trailing by seven, 26-19 with 3:40 remaining in the third quarter.

The Chiefs got on the scoreboard again, pulling within one point, on a 43-yard touchdown drive with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter. Then came Nestor flying off the edge and launching himself in the path of the kicked ball on the extra point attempt that would have tied the game.

Two subsequent Santaluces’ drives were shut down on interceptions by Lions’ defensive backs Jefferson Edward and Warren Laguerre to seal the victory for the Lions.

The Lions will next put their perfect 3-0 record on the line when they travel to West Boca for their fourth consecutive road game.