PALMDALE, Calif; – In a season full of captivating moments and unexpected turnarounds, Selma relied on one last surprise to keep their dream season rolling and hopes of a state championship alive.
With 1:20 left to play, and trailing Palmdale in their 2024 5-A Southern Regional State Final this past Saturday, the Bears’ onside kick attempt was the last chance to pull out a remarkable comeback victory. But the Falcons recovered the kick, returned it to the house for a score, and held on for a thrilling 41-38 victory.
“We made it so that, if we got a stop in the last minute, we could’ve had the ball back with a chance to win the game,” said Selma head coach Mitch Francis. “And so when they returned the onside kick for a touchdown, it really, you know, made it a tough situation.”
For Selma, dealing with adversity is nothing new. Back in 2019, the Bears suffered a deflating 42-29 loss to Highland (Palmdale) in the 4-AA Southern Section State Finals. And since then, they’ve gone a combined 6-25, highlighted by back-to-back 1-9 seasons in 2022 and 2023.
In their first season under Francis, the Bears gradually awoke from their slumber to persevere through an up and down season. Selma did stumble towards the end, finishing 5-5. But despite some of the inconsistencies with the schedule, the Bears never wavered and played tough down the stretch.
Three costly Selma turnovers in the first half – an interception and two fumbles – helped fuel Highland’s 14-0 lead heading into the locker room at halftime. The Bears had to find a way to play tough and battle through adversity.
Selma scored all of their points in the second half; but every time the Bears got closer, the Falcons managed to take advantage of another turnover or scoring opportunity. No matter what Selma did, Palmdale’s lead felt insurmountable.
“I don’t want to put any points on any specific plays to make it feel like that was the reason we lost,” said Francis. “You get in the spot where you think you’ve got something going, and then, boom, the tables turn real quick. It’s just tough to deal with.”
The Bears, still alive and clinging to hope, finally managed to contain Palmdale’s offense on their last possession. And in the few, precious seconds remaining, Selma reached into their bag of tricks to attempt a shocking comeback victory.
The Bears last play of the season, a lateral, got stuffed by the Falcons, officially ending the comeback. But regardless of the deficit, Selma never stopped fighting. They played until the last whistle blew.
Despite the outcome, Selma got a good taste of what it’s like to play championship football once again. And as the Bears move forward in their development, this painful loss could be the beginning of something rewarding next season and beyond.
“I couldn’t be more proud of my team, I love this team,” said Francis. “Nobody outside of our team thought we were going to be successful, so yeah, we are going to use this game as motivation and just continue to grow off it.”
