TORRANCE >> Quarterback Charlie Beuerlein took a look at the scoreboard in the fourth quarter and said he had complete confidence in his Palos Verdes teammates.

There was still time. There was still hope.

“I knew the game was not over,” Beuerlein said.

PV nearly pulled an epic comeback.

Trailing by 18 points in the fourth quarter, PV mounted an impressive comeback that fell just short in a 30-26 loss to Yorba Linda on Friday night in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 quarterfinals at South Torrance High.

Bay League champion Palos Verdes finished its season with an 8-4 record and held its head high after its late charge.

“That was a hell of a comeback,” Palos Verdes coach Guy Gardner said. “We didn’t lay down, We didn’t stop. We made it a game, and I’m super proud of the effort.”

Gardner gave an impassioned speech to his team afterward, sharing how proud he was of the fight they showed and the accomplishments they reached this season.

Then PV broke into a hugs and handshakes line with each player and coach acknowledging the season they enjoyed.

“This was a true team,” Gardner said. “It was how they came together and were there for each other all year. They play hard, and when you play hard, you’ve got a shot to do great things.”

PV suffered through an uneven performance through the first three quarters, losing two interceptions and having two extra-point attempts blocked.

PV had trouble slowing down Yorba Linda running back William Saucedo, who rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries.

Yorba Linda took a 30-12 lead with 11:35 left in the game when Yorba Linda quarterback Reyn Beal hit Dylan Gardner for an 80-yard touchdown on a screen pass.

Yet PV came charging back.

“We’re a team that is not going to quit,” Palos Verdes running back Eric Mulkey said. “No matter what, we are going to keep working.”

Beuerlein hit Devin Jones for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 8:26 left in the game to close to 30-18.

“I knew I had to make a play,” Jones said. “We were down, and we needed some quick strikes.

“I wanted to make play after play, beat the DBs and do what I could do for my team.”

PV’s defense then came up with a big stop.

PV continued the resurgence as Mulkey scored on a 3-yard run out of the Wildcat formation with 3:41 left, and Beuerlein found Michael Beresford for a two-point conversion pass to close to 30-26.

“I really wanted to punch the ball in there,” Mulkey said. “The line set up that run so well. I took off and it was wide open because the line did such a great job.

“We had momentum. We started working together. All 11. Everyone was executing and moving the ball.”

Beuerlein completed 17 of 26 passing for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Beuerlein threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Luke Gayton in the first half and a 13-yard touchdown pass to Beresford on the first play in the fourth quarter.

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Jones had four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Beresford had six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.

“We showed the character of our team,” Beuerlein said. “We set goals of winning the Bay League and winning CIF. As the weeks went on, we bonded more, and it was fun to be there.

“You can want things, but you have to go earn it, and we did this season.”