Palma football

An Achilles heel during Palma's run to a Northern California bowl game last year was the inability to move the ball through the air in moments that mattered.
 And while what was witnessed Friday isn't a sign of the apocalypse, it does bold well for a potential run in the Central Coast Section Open Division III playoffs.
 Down by four with 1:32 left in the game, junior quarterback Grant Sergent orchestrated the offense with poise and confidence. Meaning he put the ball in the air.
 His 22-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Scattini in the left corner of the end zone with less than a second left could not have been thrown any better, lifting Palma to a 29-27 win over San Benito.
 Now, don't mistake this for a change in culture at Palma. Grinding the ball on the ground will always be the centerpiece to the offense.
 Particularly when you have a talent in the backfield in sophomore Anthony Villegas, who has a 327 yard rushing effort to his credit this year.
 Yet, the ability to come from behind twice in the last two weeks against playoff caliber teams gives Palma a lot of momentum going into the postseason.
 The last time Palma won a game through the air in the fourth quarter was in 2008 when David Fales -- currently with the Dolphins -- tossed a touchdown pass in a 20-14 win over North Salinas.
Four weeks ago the Chieftains were 2-4 and in a dark place. Four weeks later they are a program no one wants to see in the first round of the playoffs.