EL MONTE >> There was never a doubt. The Arroyo High School football team was going for the glory.

Having just scored in overtime to get within one point of Rancho Mirage in overtime of the CIF Southern Section Division 12 championship on Saturday night, Knights head coach Jim Singiser didn’t waver.

The veteran head coach sent his offense out on the field for one play to make history, and sophomore quarterback Ernesto Camacho found receiver Devin Knight, who scooped the sinking pass just before hit the turf for a successful 2-point conversion and a 35-34 win.

“That’s how we do things in El Monte,” Singiser said. “We’re down a couple guys on defense and we just thought if we get down there, why screw around and exchange (possessions)? We’re 21/2 yards away from a CIF championship. I like our guys and 2 or 3 yards.”

With the win, Arroyo improved to 13-1 and brought home the school’s first CIF championship since 1986. The Knights will now move on to the CIF State regional bowl playoffs. They will find out next week’s opponent on Sunday. Rancho Mirage finished 11-3.

The two teams entered overtime tied 27-27 after a grueling second half. Arroyo’s defense was obviously still feeling the effects, because Rattlers running back Kyle Whitfield went 25 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the extra period.

Arroyo took a little more time, but the Knights got within one on a sneak by Camacho to make it 34-33. Singiser called timeout, not to decide whether to go for two but to solidify what the play was. Camacho took the snap and headed right before firing a pass to Knight, who had come open in the front right corner of the end zone. Still, though, Knight had to secure the tricky catch while falling to the ground.

“I was thinking ‘don’t drop it,’ ” said a tearful Knight. “I just had to zone all the crowd out and make sure I caught that ball. It was probably a foot off the ground, at most. It was an amazing feeling. I just started crying. Best feeling in the world.”

Added Camacho: “I knew we were going for two. He (Singiser) wanted to win the game right there. I just threw (the pass) out there. I kinda threw it soft, but he (Knight) came up with it and we won the game.”

Rancho Mirage appeared to be in good position to win the game in regulation. The Rattlers used a time-consuming drive to get inside in the Arroyo 10-yard line with just over four minutes to play. But a holding penalty stalled things out and star kicker Daniel Whelan, who figures to sign with a major college in February, missed a 35-yard field goal wide to the right.

Strangely, it was Arroyo kicker Jesse Ortiz who had the big night. The junior boomed a pair of 41-yard field goals in the second half, the second one tying the score with 10:08 to play.

Arroyo controlled the first half despite being the visibly smaller team. The speedy Knights were able to burn the Rattlers’ defense thanks to another big showing by Camacho, who fired two touchdown passes in the first half to Yezdan Marquez. Arroyo led 21-13 at halftime.

A blocked punt that the Rattlers picked up for a touchdown made things closer in the third quarter. Rancho Mirage took its first lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by Whitefield late in the quarter.