Anchorage Daily News

Keith Retuyan saw the ball spiraling in the air, heading to Dimond's top receiver in the end zone for a potential game-tying touchdown.

A familiar feeling hit the Bartlett safety, and he generated a familiar result.

Retuyan, who last season picked off a Dimond pass in the end zone, did the same thing Saturday

Only this time, Retuyan's interception with less than two minutes remaining sealed Bartlett's 12-6 Cook Inlet Conference win at Anchorage Football Stadium and kept alive the Golden Bears' playoff hopes.

"It was just like last year," Retuyan recalled.

Well, kind of. Last season's interception came minutes before halftime, and Bartlett lost the game.

Saturday, Retuyan picked off junior Ahmad Nasir's pass to Ryan Holta with 89 seconds left and stopped the Lynx from a potential fourth-quarter comeback.

The Golden Bears intercepted Nasir three times, recovered two fumbles, shut out No. 5 Dimond for three quarters and prevented the Lynx from securing a playoff spot.

"We snatched victory from the jaws of defeat," Bartlett coach John Jessen said. "Our defense overall just played so good. That's the best they've played in two years."

And perhaps the worst Dimond has played this season against a CIC opponent -- one week after nearly pulling off a fourth-quarter comeback win against undefeated South.

The Lynx (4-3 overall, 3-3 CIC) fumbled five times. They fumbled on their first four drives, and their five fumbles all came off either off bad snaps or handoffs.

And their blunders couldn't have come at a worse time. Dimond could have clinched a playoff spot, but now five teams are still battling for the conference's final two playoff spots.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come down to playing East for a playoff spot," Dimond coach Sonny Rodriguez said. "That's exactly what it's come down to now. We've got to find away to quit those turnovers."

To make matters worse, the Lynx lost Gibson Scanlan for the season. The conference's fifth-ranked rusher left the game in the second quarter with a broken ankle after getting tackled near the Golden Bears' sideline. He was carried off the field on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance headed for Providence Hospital, Rodriguez said.

"When Gibby went down, our team literally deflated," he said. "Bartlett came out with a good game plan and didn't turn the ball over."

After recovering Dimond's fourth fumble, Bartlett made the Lynx pay when LaMichael Fernandez hit Cyrus Chenault on a pretty 12-yard touchdown pass and put the Golden Bears ahead 6-0 with 9:06 left in the first half.

To start the second half, Jamal Hale finished a six-play, 62-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run.

With a 12-0 lead, Bartlett's attempt to kill time took the Lynx by surprise. Bartlett faced third-and-19 on the Dimond 46 when Fernandez, who is also the Golden Bears' punter, took a snap in a shotgun set and booted the ball.

"Coach Jessen?" one Bartlett assistant asked. "It's only third down!"

"I know," Jessen winked.

The Golden Bears' defense was playing so well, Jessen's plan was to pin the Lynx deep in their own territory. He figured the Lynx would be stopped. They weren't. Nasir connected with Holta on a 19-yard touchdown pass to trim Bartlett's lead to 12-6 with 1:49 left in the game.

Dimond's Tyler Cruz recovered an onside kick and the Lynx had one last chance to win and seal their first playoff berth in three seasons.

But Retuyan didn't let that happen. He picked off Nasir 35-yard pass to Holta in the end zone with 1:29 left.

Though Retuyan wants the Golden Bears to make the playoffs more than anything, Saturday was homecoming, so he had other things weighing his mind.

"Homecoming dance here we come," Retuyan said.

Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

Dimond 0 0 0 6 -- 6

Bartlett 0 6 6 0 -- 12

Second Quarter

Bartlett -- Chenault 12 pass from Fernandez (run failed), 9:06.

Third Quarter

Bartlett -- Hale 20 run (run failed), 9:58.

Fourth Quarter

Dimond -- Holta 19 pass from Nasir (kick failed), 1:49.

DIMOND BARTLETT

First downs 11 14

Rushes-yards 39-112 52-187

Passing yards 91 41

Return yards 23 71

Passes 12-20-3 4-10-0

Punts 2-46.0 4-19.5

Fumbles-lost 5-2 0-0

Penalties-yards 2-25 5-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Dimond: Brandt 15-58, Scanlan 9-36, Romo 3-9, Olson 3-5, Nasir 9-4. Bartlett: Hale 20-104, Mendez 13-53, Fernandez 16-27, Chenault 3-3.

PASSING -- Dimond: Nasir 12-20-3--91. Bartlett: Fernandez 4-10-0--71.

RECEIVING -- Dimond: Holta 6-50, Murphy 2-15, Olson 2-14, Dodson 2-12. Bartlett: Chenault 2-21, Hale 1-13, Mendez 1-7.

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