Kai Mault Explodes for Three Touchdowns in Santa Barbara’s 28-21 Victory Over Moorpark

Santa Barbara senior wide receiver/defensive back Kai Mault shined in a battle of unbeatens boosting the Dons to a 28-21 victory over Moorpark with a three-touchdown performance on Friday night at Peabody Stadium.

Both teams came into the matchup with 3-0 records and the product on the field did not disappoint as each side landed haymakers in a wildly entertaining slugfest.

“Kai put us on his shoulders tonight on offense and defense,” said Santa Barbara High coach Nate Mendoza of Mault, who finished with seven catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. “That guy just shows up for big games.”

After each team stalled on their opening possessions of the game, Santa Barbara got on the board first on an 81-yard touchdown pass from Laird Finkel to Kai Mault. Finkel scrambled to his right on the play and Mault uncovered deep downfield for an easy touchdown with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Santa Barbara pinned Moorpark down at its own one-yard line, but the Musketeers were not deterred as they marched 99 yards on five plays capped off by a 35-yard scamper up the gut by Carson Melzer.

The two teams remained knotted at 7-7 until late in the first half when the Dons forced a Moorpark turnover on downs with 22 seconds remaining. Finkel connected with Mault on a 28-yard pass along the sideline to advance Santa Barbara to the Moorpark 40-yard line. On the next play, with three seconds remaining, Finkel launched a pass into the back of the end zone that Mault tracked perfectly for an over-the-shoulder catch increasing the Dons’ lead to 14-7.

“It was a great play call by our offensive coordinator, we had another kid going up the seam on the opposite side which opened up space for me,” said Mault of his touchdown just before halftime. “It was really on the play call and Laird stepping up and making a {great} throw. It couldn’t have been placed any better.”

Moorpark received the second half kickoff and evened the score at 14-14 on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Hensley to Cooper Cronquist with 10:08 remaining in the second quarter.

However, the Dons responded with a 13-play, 71-yard drive that Tomas Gil capped off with an eleven yard touchdown run with 4:10 remaining in the third quarter. Gil led the Dons in rushing with 54 yards on three carries. 

Javier Valencia came up big for the Dons defensively as he forced a fumble in the closing moments of the third quarter and snagged an interception on the sideline with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter to help preserve Santa Barbara’s lead.

After a botched Santa Barbara punt setup the Musketeers with excellent field position Mault made another spectacular play, stepping in front of a Moorpark receiver for an interception before winding across the field for an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown that put the Dons ahead 28-14 with 5:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.

However, the Musketeers refused to go down without a fight and on the second paly of their ensuing possession Hensley connected with Cronquist again, this time for a 64-yard touchdown., cutting the deficit to 28-21.

Clinging to a one-possession lead, Santa Barbara was able to pick up a couple first down to melt away the clock and secure the victory.

Laird Finkel continued his strong start to the season completing 14-of-24 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. 

The Dons (4-0) will travel to rival San Marcos (2-2) for the annual Big Game next week. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.