Great Oak quarterback Trent Lux threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 37-34 comeback win over Murrieta Mesa on Friday, Sept. 11.

The Wolfpack trailed 34-28 with 1:23 left in the fourth quarter on Murrieta Mesa's Homecoming night. Lux converted a fourth-and-2 with a 36-yard scramble to extend the final drive, then found Kannon Terracciano on a rollout for a 12-yard touchdown pass with under 10 seconds remaining to tie the game at 34.

Murrieta Mesa appeared to block the extra point, but a penalty gave Great Oak kicker Aiden Humbert a second chance. He converted. Great Oak's defense then forced a safety as time expired to seal the win, the Press-Enterprise reported.

The finish was the closest in the 16-year history of the rivalry, which dates to 2010. Great Oak snapped a two-year losing streak in the series and leads the all-time matchup 11-5.

Both teams entered the game ranked in the Inland Empire's top 10. Great Oak sat at No. 9 and Murrieta Mesa at No. 10 in the IE Varsity rankings published Monday, Sept. 7.

Lux, a junior, completed 21 of 29 passes for 289 yards. He also scored on a 2-yard run in the third quarter that gave Great Oak a brief 21-20 lead.

"When I was younger, I used to watch these games and imagine being on the field in the big moments like this," Lux told the Press-Enterprise.

Murrieta Mesa quarterback Coleman Jones completed 17 of 28 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a 1-yard score in the first quarter. Jones found Kian Hendricks for a 3-yard touchdown that built the Rams' 34-21 lead with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter, but Lux answered with a 27-yard strike to cut the deficit to 34-28 with 5:52 to go.

Justice Scarville's interception of Lux in the second quarter set up a Jones-to-Malakai Paul 24-yard touchdown that gave Murrieta Mesa a 14-7 lead. The Rams carried a 20-14 advantage into halftime.

Great Oak head coach Herschel Ramirez told the Press-Enterprise the win was critical after a Week 2 loss to Capistrano Valley. He said the team is finding ways to win but still has areas to clean up before league play.

The loss dropped Murrieta Mesa (2-2) after a season that started with a 29-24 loss to Newport Harbor and a gritty 7-0 double-overtime win over Rancho Verde. After that Rancho Verde game, Jones acknowledged the Rams needed to sharpen their offense heading into the Great Oak matchup. Great Oak improved to 3-1.

In Week 4, Murrieta Mesa visits La Costa Canyon and Great Oak hosts San Jacinto.