SAN DIEGO, Calif. – What began as a game dominated by St. Thomas turned into a dramatic comeback by San Diego, as the Toreros stormed back from a two-touchdown deficit to secure a 30-27 win on Saturday afternoon at Torero Stadium.
The Tommies came out firing in the first half, riding the arm and legs of quarterback Andy Peters. After an opening 40-yard field goal by Ben Hoiland gave St. Thomas a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter, San Diego answered early in the second with a 42-yard kick from Emiliano Salazar to even the score.
But Peters took control from there. The junior quarterback found Quentin Cobb-Butler twice for touchdowns before halftime – a 12-yard strike on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, followed by a stunning 51-yard connection that gave the Tommies a commanding 17-3 advantage.
San Diego regrouped after the break and leaned on backup quarterback Dom Nankil, who sparked the Toreros with big plays. Nankil connected with Josh Heverly for a 41-yard touchdown to pull USD within one score, but Peters responded immediately with a 53-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead back to 24-10. Hoiland added a 44-yard field goal to make it 27-10 midway through the third quarter.
From there, the Toreros’ rally began. Running back Adam Criter punched in a 12-yard rushing touchdown, and Nankil later found Cole Monach on a 54-yard bomb with just seven seconds left in the third, narrowing the margin to 27-24.
With momentum fully on their side, San Diego turned to Salazar, who calmly delivered under pressure. He drilled a 34-yard field goal with under two minutes to play, then, after the Toreros defense forced a stop, hit a 25-yarder with 44 seconds left to complete the comeback.
Peters finished with two passing touchdowns and one on the ground for St. Thomas, while Nankil threw for two long scores to keep San Diego in striking distance. Salazar proved to be the hero for the Toreros, going a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including the game-tying and go-ahead kicks in the fourth quarter.
The draw leaves both teams with plenty of positives – and plenty to work on – as the season pushes forward.
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