CHULA VISTA – In a game when yards were gobbled up in bunches, a few inches were all that prevented a major upset.

Fourth-seeded St. Augustine stopped El Capitan twice within the 1-yard line to hold on for a heart-stopping 33-28 victory in a San Diego Section Division III quarterfinal football game last night at Southwestern College.

The Saints (7-4) advance to play top-seeded Cathedral Catholic, a 20-14 survivor over Point Loma, in next week's semifinal contest.

“To stop them within the 1 and go on to the semis really shows what kind of heart our defense has,” said Saints coach Jerry Ralph. “You have to give it to El Cap, they made a great comeback, but it shows how bad our defense really wanted it.”

Defense wasn't really the theme of the night. The two teams combined for 651 yards passing, but it was the goal-line stand with less than a minute to play that will be remembered most.

The Vaqueros (8-4) found themselves trailing 33-14 with 4:41 left in the game. With senior quarterback Tanner Rust (20-of-38, 342 yards, three TDs) engineering the comeback, El Cap pulled to within 33-28 when Rust connected with Phillip Cook for TD scores of 25 and 57 yards – the second coming with 2:33 to play.

A perfectly executed onside kick that was recovered by Daniel Wade gave the Vaqueros one last chance.

A 35-yard keeper by Rust (17 carries 112 yards, TD) took the ball to the Saints' 3. But the Vaqueros' hopes were ended when the Saints' front line, led by Jacob Corso, Donnie Walsh and Andrew Noonan, turned back two straight plays inside the 1, the final coming on a sneak by Rust.

“We knew I had to get leverage so I dove straight into the ground,” said Corso, a 6-foot-4 230-pounder who stacked up the middle of the line. “I looked up and I could see the quarterback and I knew he didn't go anywhere.”

El Capitan coach Ron Burner wasn't so sure the Vaqueros didn't get the ball across the goal line.

“Everyone on the goal line said we had the football over the line by at least a football two times,” Burner said. “We showed what kind of heart we have on this team, though. We fought to the end.”

Sophomore quarterback Evan Crower led the Saints on offense. He completed 22-of-39 passes for 259 yards and three TDs.

Two years ago, St. Augustine spoiled El Capitan's perfect season with a 51-43 victory in the semifinals en route to its second straight Division III title.

This was the first time the Saints played on the same field more than once this season. They lost to upcoming semifinal foe Cathedral Catholic 56-30 in Devore Stadium at Southwestern College on Nov. 7.