LA CANADA — One play can make a season and end a season. For St. Francis, it could propel the Golden Knights toward their goal of a CIF-SS championship. They stopped a 2-point conversion with just 25 seconds left in the game to hold on for a thrilling 28-27 win against Muir in the Division 6 quarterfinals.

With the win, St. Francis (5-7) will play Murrieta Mesa next Friday in the semifinals.

“What a game,” said St. Francis coach Dean Herrington. “John Sanders was unbelievable today. The pressure. Some of the throws. His fourth down conversion was unbelievable. It was just a great win.”

Muir quarterback Keyon Mills nearly delivered magic for Muir for the second week in a row. Last week, he scored the game-winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 18 seconds remaining in a 22-19 win over Schurr. This week, Muir faced a fourth-and-6 at the St. Francis 25. Mills dropped back and scrambled to his right and raced to the end zone for a touchdown.

Muir coach Lance Mitchell said there was no hesitation to go for two to try to win the game. The plan was to hand the ball off to running back Alijah Parker. But Parker slipped when the ball was snapped. Mills recognized it and ran to his left to try to get the ball into the end zone. However, he was stuffed by Mason Maddox, Julian Navarro and Tim Murphy.

Shawn Sanders recovered the onside kick for St. Francis to seal the win.

Mitchell praised Mills for his play.

“I can’t even put into words what he did tonight,” Mitchell said. “I’m super proud of him. He’s fun to watch and it’s sad to see him go as a senior.”

St. Francis was led by running back Isaac Fajardo. He scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner. That was a four-yard run with 3:53 remaining to give St. Francis a 28-21 lead.

That ended a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ate up a little more than seven minutes. The drive also included a fake punt. Shawn Sanders lined up as punter but then threw to Murphy for a 20-yard gain to the Muir 40 on a 4th-and-5.

John Sanders completed a 6-yard pass on fourth-and-3 to Brady Cofre later in the drive to give St. Francis a first down at the Muir 27.

Fajardo rushed for 76 yards on nine carries. His other touchdown runs were 15 yards and one-yard. They were both in the third quarter and gave St. Francis a 21-13 lead after trailing 13-7 at halftime.

Sanders completed 13 of 18 passes for 110 yards. He also rushed for 60 yards and had a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Muir’s leading rusher was Parker. He carried the ball 18 times for 158 yards.

Parker scored on a seven-yard run early in the fourth and ran the ball in on the subsequent 2-point conversion to tie the game 21-21.

The defenses for both teams asserted themselves early in the game. St. Francis and Muir exchanged punts in the first quarter with the Golden Knights defense swarming Mills, sacking him three times in the first quarter which ended in a scoreless tie.

The Golden Knight though grabbed a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter when Sanders kept the ball and sprinted to his right for a 12-yard touchdown. That ended an eight-play, 38-yard drive.

Muir though answered on its next drive thanks to dazzling play by Mills. After he was tackled for an 11-yard loss while scrambling at the St. Francis 29, Muir face a fourth-and-16. The Mustangs went for it when Mills dropped back to pass. He couldn’t find anyone open so he took off to his right. Mills outsprinted a couple Golden Knight defenders and turned the corner. He saw daylight and raced to the end zone to tie the game at 7.

St. Francis put together a nice drive on its next possession, converting a 4th-and-10 when Sanders found Tim Murphy for a 14-yard completion in the middle of the field at the Muir 24. St. Francis later drove down to the Muir 11, where the drive stalled. Shawn Sanders went out and attempted a 28-yard field goal but it was wide.