TWIST AND SHOUT: St. Mary's-Stockton wins thrilling CIF D2-AA classic over Bakersfield Christian

Rams win first state title after two earlier defeats, but this one worth the agonizing, hard-fought wait

St. Mary's senior and UCLA commit Kenneth Moore III (3) leads the Rams into the CIF State Division 2-AA game. Moore has 56 catches, 858 yards and 10 touchdowns heading into the game. / Photo: Dennis Lee

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — St. Mary's coach Tony Franks has been around the block a few times and walked countless sidelines. The 66-year-old had won 249 games before Friday's CIF California Division 2-AA championship game with Bakersfield Christian.

But clearly, he never won never quite as exciting and twisted as the team's 27-24 thriller at Saddleback College.

Sure, winning a first state title immediately qualified it as a first and a joyful experience. But the way St. Mary's, where Franks graduated from in 1977, prevailed left the normally calm and subdued Franks downright giddy.

"This was maybe the most dramatic of all of them," he said of wild wins this season and over the years. "It was incredible."

How about 886 total yards almost evenly divided: St. Mary's 446, Bakersfield 440.

The Rams, it seemed, had finally put away Bakersfield Christian it would seem when quarterback Jaden Galvan (13 of 19, 244 yards) connected with Ivan Huerta (7 catches, 145 yards) on a thrd-down pass for 30 yards with 2:17 left.

Once past the first down marker, Huerta just had to fall to knee and the game would have essentially been over. With no timeouts, Bakersfield Christian couldn't stop the clock.

But the ball was stripped away and John Heath recovered near midfield and the Eagles had life.

"I felt badly for Ivan," Franks said. "We would have won the game in victory formation and saved ourselves some anxiety there at the end."

Anxiety was an understatment.

Lincoln Adame, who had threaded the needle all night, immediately fired a 40-yard strike to Buddah Wallace (7 catches, 144 yards, two touchdowns) give the Eagles first-and-goal from the 8. But after two short runs and an incompletion, Cohen Peters' 22-yard field goal to tie was pulled left and St. Mary's breathed a huge sigh of relief.

A minute later, they celebrated like there was no tomorrow. Had they lost, Huerta would have had trouble facing tomorrow. Even though he had a mammoth game.

"I couldn't wait to find Ivan and tell him that I felt in so many ways that we deserved this win and not suffer a crushing loss," Franks said. "We wouldn't be here in this game without Ivan Huera. I'm thankful that we were able to close it out."

It was a - Can You Top This? - big play affair.

Bakersfield Christian (13-1) sustained its first loss of the year, despite piling up 440 yards, including Adame's pinpoint passing to Michael Smith (10 catches, 202 yards) and Wallace.

(Check out all the live updates, play-by-play and final statistics at bottom)

PRE GAME

Welcome to the 2025 CIF State Championships from Saddleback College.

The first game Friday from Saddleback is a tilt between Sac-Joaquin Section blue blood St. Mary's-Stockton and longtime coach Terry Franks. He's anxious to get the Rams' first state victory after two defeats.

He faces a Bakersfield Christian program, out of the Central Section, that has won one of three state finals.

See all the particulars below heading in and below that will be the live updates throughout the game.

Section: St. Mary’s (Sac-Joaquin Section), Bakersfield Christian (Central)
State record: St. Mary’s 0-2, Bakersfield Christian 1-2
Win streaks: St. Mary’s 9, Bakersfield Christian 13
Famous alums: SM — Chelsea Gray (WNBA), Eric Williams (NFL), Gabe Vincent (NBA), Von Hayes (MLB); BC — Derek Carr (NFL), Benjamin Yurosek (NFL), David Carr (coached at BC).  

Top players: SM — WR Kenneth Moore III (UCLA signee, 56 catches, 858 yards, 10 TDs), WR Ivan Huerta (68, 1,175, 12), QB Jaden Galvan (169-292, 2,773 yards, 29 TDs), RB Diego Hernandez (198, 1,318, 23). BC — WR Michael Smith (50 catches, 1,218 yards, 24.4 average, 16 touchdowns), DE-FB Arnez Lee (23 sacks, 80 tackles, RB Darriyon Page (170, 1,035, 10 TDs), QB Lincoln Adame (2,568 yards, 24 TDs). 

4 p.m. — Division 2-AA, St. Mary’s-Stockton (12-2) vs. Bakersfield Christian (13-0)

FIRST QUARTER

St. Mary's punts: After one first down on a 16-yard pass Jaden Galvan to Ivan Huerta, the Rams lost eight yards on the next two plays before punting.

Bakersfield Christian driving: Four straight completions by Lincoln Adame puts the ball at the St. Mary's 30, third-and-5.

Big St. Mary's sack! On 4th-and-5, Jake Lucatello sacks Adame for 9-yard loss, St. Mary's takes over on its own 39. No score 3:45 1Q.

Biggest play of 1Q. Galvin to Huerta goes for 22 but he’s tackled at goal line. Recovered by BC’s Jacob Millan. Wow. Late first quarter. No score pic.twitter.com/r26gFu1zTL

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) December 13, 2025

First quarter stats: Total yards: Bakersfield Christian 100, St. Mary's 48. BC QB Adame 6-7-0-100.

End of 1: 0-0

2ND QUARTER

BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN TOUCHDOWN: First play of quarter out of wildcat, Arnez Lee powers over from the 4. Bakersfield Christian 7, St. Mary's 0. 11:55. The score was set up by two absolutely beautiful tosses by Adame to Michael Smith of 28 and 35 yards. Perfectly placed throws.

ST. MARY'S TIES IT UP: Right back, a beautiful 62-yard completion, Galvin to UCLA-bound Moore sets up 4-yard keeper out the Wildcat by Moses Alexander. The completion looked like a touchdown over the middle by Smith caught the speedy Moore at the 4. No matter: St. Mary's 7, Bakersfield Christian 7. 9:34 2Q. S

ST. MARY'S TAKES LEAD: Galvan to Kenneth Moore III on 16-yard touchdown strike over the middle, gives St. Mary's a 14-7 lead. 4:54 2Q. Finishes off 9-play, 84 yard drive. Hernandez carried the ball six times for 57 yards on the drive, including a 30-yarder. St. Mary's 14, Bakersfield Christian 10.

TURNOVER BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN: Luke Lucatello came out of no where to stripe Michael Smith of the ball after a completion and Moore recovers. St. Mary's in business at 49.

BC FORCES PUNT: St. Mary's can't take advantage and punts to Bakersfield Christian 20.

FIELD GOAL BAKERSFIELD! At the buzzer, Cohen Peters drills a 40-yard field goal after three big completions from Adam, cuts the St. Mary's lead to 14-10. HALFTIME: St. Mary's 14, Bakersfield Christian 10.

HALFTIME STATS: A big 440 yards of total offense, 240 by St. Mary's, whcih got 12 carries for 76 yards from Diego Hernandez. QB Jaden Galvan was 9-12-144 and Huerta had four catches for 51 yards and Kenneth Moore III had three catches for 87 yards. For BC: Adame was terrfic, 10 of 15 for 175 yards, six going to Smith for 119 yards.

3RD QUARTER

ST.. MARY'S TOUCHDOWN! What a drive. 9 play, 90 yards finished off by Alexander, his second touchdown of the night after a great block from Hernandez. Alexander had the run of the game, a 52-yard that started right before zagging all the way to the left. XP failed. St. Mary's 20, Bakersfield 10. 5:30 3Q.

ST. MARY'S INTERCEPTION! Bakersfield Christian drives right down the field on more beautiful tosses from Adame, but a pass for the end zone was tipped by Alexander - what a game he's having - and Mil Neudeck intercepted. SM takes over at its own 10.

FAKE PUNT THWARTED: Ill-advised fake punt by Hernandez - likely called on his own - is stopped short at his own 12. Bakersfield Christian golden opportunty at own 12.

END OF 3: St. Mary's 20, Bakersfield Christian 10. Bakersfield has it at 12, third and 10.

4TH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN!: Another beautiful touch pass from Adame to Buddah Wallace. Bakersfield Christian closes to 20-17. First play of fourth quarter. Gonna be a fun finish. St. Mary's 20, Bakersfield Christian 17.

ST. MARY'S ANSWERS! What a game and what an answer. 5-play, 80 yards, capped with the new Play of the Game, a 54-yard catch and run by Ivan Huerta, who starts on one side of field, zags to the other. More great blocking. St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 17. 10:42 4Q.

WATCH THIS PLAY! great call. Great run sideline to sideline. Galvan to Huerta 54 yard touchdown. St. Mary’s 27, Bakersfield 17. 10:42. 4Q. Big play after big play. pic.twitter.com/T3AIO6ftJK

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) December 13, 2025

ONE MORE ANSWER! This one for Bakersfield Christian. Can you top this for great run after catch? This one by Buddah Wallace, a 44-yard catch and run. 7:45 4Q. St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24. What a game. Picking out a Player of the Game won't be easy.

INTERCEPTION ST. MARY'S! After three first downs including pass interceptions, Mason Eagal intercepts a bomb from Adame. with 2:40 remaining. One first down should give St. Mary's the victory. But anything can happen in this game.

WOW! Fumble gives back to Bakersfield at 45. St. Mary's has the game after 30-yard completion from Galvan to Huerta, but he fumbles and Bakersfield's John Heath recovers. Wow. Rams would have taken knee and won the game because BC has no timeouts. 2:17 left.

BIG COMPLETION: Adame to Wallace for 40 yards makes it 1st and goal with 2:04. Two runs lose one yard, two timeouts by St. Mary's. 3rd and goal. In FG range but watch but look for BC to go for a TD and win. 1:43 left. Still 27-24 St. Mary's.

OH NO! FIELD GOAL MISSES: A 22-yarder just over one minute left misses for Bakersfield Christian. St. Mary's runs out the clock. What a crazy game.

FINAL: St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24.

FINAL STATISTICS

CIF State 2025 Division 2-AA finals: St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24 / Photo by CIF State office

CIF State D2-AA final: St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24 / Photo by CIF State office

CIF State 2025 D2-AA final: St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24 / Photo by CIF State office

CIF State D2-AA finals St. Mary's 27, Bakersfield Christian 24 / Photo by CIF State office