FULLERTON — The Portola football team earned its way into the CIF State Division 6-AA championship Saturday by conquering a series of setbacks throughout the regular season and postseason.

After winning the CIF-SS Division 11 and CIF Southern California Division 6-AA titles, however, the Bulldogs fell a few plays short against Arcata in the state championship game at Fullerton High School.

Arcata quarterback Luke Lemke’s 1-yard run in overtime lifted the Tigers to a 27-21 victory over the Bulldogs.

The score was 21-21 at the end of four quarters.

Under overtime rules in the postseason, each team gets a possession on the opponent’s 25-yard line.

Portola got the ball first but fumbled the ball away on second-and-15 and committed a personal foul after the play, giving the Tigers (14-1) possession on the Portola 13.

Lemke, who rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 147 yards, threw an incompletion on first down, ran for 7 yards on second down and 5 yards on third, setting up the game-winning quarterback sneak from the Portola 1.

“You earned the right to get into this position to play for the state title,” Portola coach Peter Abe told his team after the game. “You went out and played your hearts out. Don’t you dare let one play or two plays or whatever overshadow everything that was put into this.”

Portola (9-7) had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but Ishaan Kedia’s 45-yard field goal attempt fell about 3 yards short, sending the contest to overtime.

“There’s a reason why (the Tigers) are in the state championship as well,” said Abe, who has been the Bulldogs’ only coach in the six-year history of Portola’s varsity program. “Anytime you have these kinds of games, it always comes down to one or two plays.”

Deigo Reyna, one of the Bulldogs’ two 1,000-yard running backs, rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

Timothy Grettenberg, Portola’s other 1,000-yard back, rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown.

In the first quarter, Portola defensive lineman Reggie Thorn recovered an Arcata fumble, giving the Bulldogs possession on the Portola 16.

The Bulldogs converted the takeaway into a 14-play, 81-yard drive, capped by Grettenberg’s 8-yard touchdown run, giving Portola a 7-0 lead.

Arcata answered with a long drive of its own, going 75 yards on 10 plays, with Lemke scoring on a 3-yard run to tie the score.

The Tigers took a 14-7 lead on Tony Buchanan’s 1-yard touchdown run on a drive that was extended by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Bulldogs.

Portola took control of the game when Reyna ran for an 11-yard TD to tie the score in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs then stopped the Tigers on the ensuing possession when defensive back Joshua Wang broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone.

Later in the quarter, Adam Nofal sacked Lemke for a 6-yard loss on fourth down, putting the Tigers in scoring range on the Arcata 37.

Reyna capped that drive with a 22-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs a 21-14 lead with just over five minutes remaining.

But the Bulldogs couldn’t stop Lemke and the Tigers on the ensuing drive.

Lemke tied the score on a 33-yard touchdown run.

Then, Portola’s potential game-winning field goal try fell short, setting up overtime.

“I’m just so proud of each and every single one of the players on the team,” Portola quarterback Nash Luper said. “We had some incredible accomplishments. We made history and we have a lot to be proud of. I know that we’re going to be super excited when we get our rings in the future but all I have to say is just praise God man.”

Portola went 0-5 to start the season before turning the season around with a 4-0 start in the Omicron League.

The Bulldogs lost their final league game, 28-0, against Pacifica.

Portola then got through the CIF-SS Division 11 playoffs the hard way, having to win its first two games on the road before coming home to defeat Baldwin Park, 30-14, in the Division 11 semifinal and then defeating El Rancho 31-14, at Portola on Nov. 29 to win the Division 11 championship.

Portola advanced to its first state championship appearance in dramatic fashion, defeating King/Drew 35-34 in overtime in the Southern California Regional championship game with a game-saving tackle on a 2-point conversion by Thorn.

The Bulldogs are returning most of their starters next season, including Grettenberg and Reyna.

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