Playoff seeding in football was on the line Friday as No. 9 Scripps Ranch hosted No. 8 Mount Miguel. Both teams were looking to improve their resume one final time before the CIF-San Diego Section announces the playoff brackets Sunday.

Mount Miguel led by 11 points entering the second half.

However, with 1:56 left in the fourth quarter, Scripps Ranch sophomore quarterback Patrick Armstrong found junior tight end Rex Theilacker over the middle for a 40-yard touchdown to cut the Falcons’ deficit to one, 37-36, with an undefeated 10-0 regular season on the line.

“Got to go for two. It’s at home. Let’s go for the win,” Falcons head coach Marlon Gardinera said.

So, the Falcons went for it.

Armstrong took the snap. He was unable to find his first target. However, he saw junior David Henderson behind the defense. But the ball sailed just above Henderson’s hands resulting in a failed attempt.

It then came down to the onside kick if the Falcons wanted any chance. Senior Tyler Meltzer was able to get a big hop, but Matadors senior Michael Yancy was able to scoop it up to secure the one-point win, 37-36.

“We went through a lot of adversity this year in the beginning, so I think a lot of that came back, and it showed our character, fighting through some tough times and overcoming this win,” Matadors head coach Verlain Betofe said.

The final 12 minutes was a back-and-forth affair as Mount Miguel (8-2) let Scripps Ranch (9-1) back into the game.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Scripps Ranch took its first lead of the game, 23-22, on a 27-yard touchdown run by senior Ryan Stadtherr, who had 18 carries for 119 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Both teams then traded long touchdowns after Scripps Ranch was forced to punt. Matadors senior quarterback AJ Stowers found junior wide receiver Brandon Arrington for an 86-yard score before a two-point conversion increased the lead to seven.

Arrington led the way for the Matadors with six receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

Then, it was Stadtherr again. This time he ran it in from 55 yards out to tie the game at 30 with 4:20 left.

The Matadors then responded with the run game. Senior Jayden Hunter, who had 14 carries for 103 yards, got 49 of those yards on first-and-10 to get into the red zone. He then had runs of 10, 3 and 4 to score and retake the lead.

“It’s lethal. Nobody knows what we’re going to be doing,” Stowers said of the offense. “We could beat you through the air or we could beat you on the ground game. That’s how it is.”

Matadors junior running back KJ Shields added six carries for 49 yards with a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter to jump out to a 13-0 lead.

Scripps Ranch, who won its second consecutive Eastern League title last week, responded with Armstrong’s first touchdown of the night to Stadtherr from 13 yards with nine minutes left in the first half.

Armstrong completed 15 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, while Stowers completed 17 of 27 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

No. 8 Mount Miguel 37, No. 9 Scripps Ranch 36

Mount Miguel 13 6 3 15 — 37

Scripps Ranch 0 8 8 20 — 36

M — Hunter 16 pass from Stowers (kick failed)

M — Shields 33 run (Shields kick)

S — Stadtherr 32 pass from Armstrong (Mendez pass from Tschirn)

M — Arrington 13 pass from Stowers (pass failed)

S — Stadtherr 3 run (Stadtherr run)

M — Ettleman 29 FG

S — Stadtherr 27 run (Meltzer kick)

M — Arrington 86 pass from Stowers (Buchanan pass from Stowers)

S — Stadtherr 55 run (Meltzer kick)

M — Hunter 4 run (Ettleman kick)

S — Theilacker 40 pass from Armstrong (pass failed)