San Diego Lincoln outlasts Pittsburg in California high school football championship

The Lincoln Hornets (11-2) of San Diego will face the Pittsburg Pirates (12-2) in the California High School Football 1-AA championship game on Friday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Lincoln is led by Oregon-bound quarterback Akili Smith Jr., a standout 6-foot-1, 215-pound quarterback who is the No. 18 ranked senior recruit in California. He has passed for 2,302 yards and 21 touchdowns (11 interceptions) this season, with career totals of 7,165 passing yards and 75 touchdowns.

Pittsburg is led by a quarterback with similar (or better) production, despite having a much different body and recruiting history. Marley Alcantara is a 5-foot-7 senior with 2,825 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes (and zero interceptions!) this season. He is headed to NAIA Southern Oregon.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time and High School on SI will post live updates from the game here.

You can also watch the game live on the NFHS Network.

Refresh this page for live updates after play begins.

Pittsburg wins the toss and moves. Akili Smith Jr. and Lincoln will have the ball first.

The first eight plays of the game are directed by Lincoln. Junior Curtis a 4-yard run. Isaiah Grant 15-yard run. Donald Reed II with two short wins. Akili Smith Jr. runs for 10. Then a big tackle for loss by Jewelous Walls, who is transferring to UCLA. Donald Reed II 15-yard run. Curtis for two yards. Finally a pass – even two. Both incompletions. Lincoln attempts a 29-yard field goal…and misses. Pittsburg Ball.

Lincoln forces a three-and-out on Pittsburg’s first possession. Punt. Lincoln takes over with great field position – at the Pittsburg 46.

Lincoln stays on the ground for the most part. Junior Curtis’ 14-yard score makes the big play. Curtis also scored on a five-yard run on 4th-and-1. On 3rd-and-goal from the 6, Lincoln gets its first completed pass of the game – a 6-yard touchdown from Akili Smith Jr. to Courtney Miller-Thompson. Felix Benavidez PAT good. Lincoln 7, Pittsburg 0, 3:06 1st quarter.

Pittsburg’s first play of its second drive is a 40-yard run by Jamar Searcy. Two plays later, Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara was intercepted for the first time in 15 games this season. Lincoln senior safety Abdulahi Sharif gets the pick — in the end zone.

End of the first quarter. Lincoln leads 7-0.

Pittsburg’s Aries Jenkins and Elijah Bow tackle Akili Smith Jr. for a 15-yard loss. Lincoln punches. Pittsburg will have excellent field position.

One play: Jamar Searcy 47-yard touchdown run. It is the 17th touchdown of the season for the running back from Washington State. Bryan Capetillo PAT good. Lincoln 7, Pittsburg 7, 10:34 2nd quarter.

Lincoln sophomore quarterback Jordan Roa replaces Akili Smith Jr. on this drive. He completes his first pass and leads a pretty good drive… but it ends with him being intercepted at the 15-yard line by UCLA Pittsburg safety Jadyn Hudson. It’s Hudson’s 10th INT of the season. There are 5:20 minutes left in halftime.

Lincoln forces a punt and recovers the ball with 3:30 left in the half. Akili Smith Jr. comes back into the game and completes a beautiful 42-yard pass down the sideline to Isaiah Grant on the first play of the drive. A few plays later, he fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to San Jose State signee Ty Olsen in the corner of the end zone. It’s Olsen’s 12th TD catch of the season. Felix Benavidez PAT well. Lincoln 14, Pittsburg 7, 1:43 2nd quarter.

With 20 seconds left in the half, Marley Alcantara fires a 23-yard pass to Jamar Searcy to the 2-yard line. On the next play, Searcy scores from 2 yards. Bryan Capetillo PAT good. Lincoln 14, Pittsburg 14, 0:12 2nd quarter.

End of the second quarter. Draw 14:14. What a first half!

Pittsburg gets the ball early in the half, but Lincoln forces a quick punt. Quarterback Marley Alcantara, also the punter, hits a good shot. Lincoln ball at the 8-yard line.

Third play from Lincoln Drive: Akili Smith Jr. to Isaiah Grant for a 73-yard touchdown. Smith has four completions – three of them touchdowns (to three different receivers). Felix Benavidez PAT well. Lincoln 21, Pittsburg 14, 9:15 3rd quarter.

Pittsburg answers again. Jamar Searcy 1-yard touchdown run. His third TD of the game. On the play before the score, he had a great one-handed catch at the 1-yard line. However, a missed PAT could prove costly. Lincoln 21, Pittsburg 20, 5:06 of 3rd quarter.

End of the third quarter. Lincoln leads 21-20.

Pittsburg forces a punt and will have the ball trailing by one point early in the fourth quarter. Jamar Searcy with a nice 16-yard punt return. He can really do anything.

The Lincoln defense steps up and forces a quick 3-and-out.

Junior Curtis with some big hits, including a 16-yard run. The drive ends with Akili Smith Jr. rushing for a 7-yard touchdown. He was responsible for all four Lincoln touchdowns – three passing and one rushing. This PAT is big…and it’s good from Felix Benavidez. Lincoln 28, Pittsburg 20, 3:44 4th quarter.

Pittsburg senior Makari Kenion with a great catch-and-run. Jamar Searcy breaking off a big run (that’s nothing new). Pittsburg is already in the red zone.

Fourth-and-2 from the 4-yard line… Jamar Searcy gets the first down and his second attempt takes him into the end zone for a Pittsburg touchdown! Searcy scored all four Pittsburg TDs. But he narrowly fails in his 2-point attempt. Lincoln 28, Pittsburg 26, 1:19 4th quarter.

Pittsburg’s onside kick is blocked by Lincoln. Pittsburg needs some sort of miracle at this point.

Lincoln has to punt, there are still 16 seconds left to play. Pittsburg will get the ball back for maybe two games.

Well, just one piece. Prince Tavizon is released and time is running out. Lincoln wins the title.

Final: Lincoln 28, Pittsburg 26

To get live updates on your phone and follow your favorite teams and top games, you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download the iPhone app | Download the Android app