Buchanan barely escaped its high school football game against Sanger with a win. The No. 16-ranked team in California needed a goal-line stand during overtime to avoid defeat, but the final play did not come without controversy.
It does not get much closer than this!
The high school football officials ruled that the ball did not cross the goal line during a two-point conversion attempt. Other videos and images from different vantage points appear to show otherwise.
Buchanan defeated Sanger in overtime.
Dr. Floyd B. Buchanan High School is located in Clovis, California near Fresno. It enrolls approximately 2,600 students in Grades 9-12. Sanger High School is also located outside of Fresno, about 20 miles to the southeast. It enrolls approximately 2,500 students.
The Bears and the Apaches both compete in Division I of the CIF Central Section. They are both ranked as one of the top teams in the region. However, Buchanan is ranked No. 16 in the state at 4-1. Sanger is ranked No. 93 in California at 2-3.
The higher-ranked team ultimately prevailed during an instant classic on Thursday night, which was their first meeting on the gridiron since 2009!
Neither team found the end zone in the first quarter. The score was tied at 14 at halftime. Sanger took a 28-21 lead with nine minutes and 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Buchanan drove the length of the field to tie it right back up.
This is where it gets interesting. The Apaches pushed toward the red zone as the clock ticked down to zero. They had a chance to win the game in regulation on a ~28-yard field goal. The kick was blocked!
End of 4th Quarter:
— Matthew Tatum (@MatthewTatum_) September 18, 2026
Buchanan 28
Sanger 28
Buchanan blocks game winning field goal!! Were going to overtime!!@PAGMETER @gabecamarillo_ @_djcphoto_ pic.twitter.com/3K7x9TlEXZ
Time expired. Overtime ensued.
The high school football game came down to a controversial goal-line stand.
Buchanan got the ball to begin the extra period. It scored six points on a pass from Tommy Devany to Josiah Perry. The Bears kicked an extra point to take the lead, 35-28.
Sanger answered on the next possession. Miguel Salazar scored from seven yards out to put the Apaches in position to win or tie. They decided to go for two. It almost worked!
Buchanan tackled the Sanger ball-carrier just short of the goal line to avoid the upset loss. Here is the final play from start to finish:
What an ending of a really good high school football game! Sanger goes for two and is stopped short of the goal line, Buchanan holds on for the hard-earned 35-34 win. pic.twitter.com/YXVTxB1ozc
— Paul Meadors (@paulmeadors) September 18, 2026
A better angle of the final play shows just how close it really was. The Apaches were not happy with the decision. They thought they got into the end zone. The officials ruled otherwise.
Fans were Livid at Tom Flores Stadium Tonight pic.twitter.com/YoQlDI0nK2
— BallouttilUFallout (@fallout_u) September 18, 2026
Video replay does not exist for most high school football games so there was no way to overturn the call. It was determined that the Bears tackled the running back before the ball crossed the line and/or hit the pylon. But did they?
A frame-by-frame video from the crowd creates even more uncertainty.
— American Made (@Squeezeb0xman) September 18, 2026
As does the following photo, captured by Ryan J. Sepulveda.
What do you think? Was the ball-carrier down? Did the officials make the right decision? Or did they get it wrong because they couldn’t see the ball cross into the end zone from where they were standing on the field? Was Sanger robbed of an statement win?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Either way, there might’ve been a holding call that would’ve nullified the play anyway.