Jeff Thomas and DeLeon Eskridge, two cogs in Serra High’s backfield, got in their stance, doing their best to prevent their arms and legs from shaking. The Serra scoreboard showed 6.9 seconds left in the game. Amazingly, shockingly, it also showed something else.

St. Francis 17, Serra 14.

Given a chance to do something about it, Thomas and Eskridge said they felt “nervous but ready to make history.” Fourth-and-goal from the 1, and there was no doubt what the Padres were going to do. They got in their two tight end set, and in a choreographed frenzy, Cody Jackson pitched the ball back to Eskridge with Thomas leading the way. Eskridge, the best athlete on the field, jumped over the line, arms stretched out.

Now the scoreboard showed something new: Serra 21, St. Francis 17. Moments later, as an overflow crowd of over 3,500 filled the city of San Mateo with an ear-splitting roar, St. Francis’ last-ditch effort fell short. Just like that, the night was soon to yield another moment that will last for as long as the Padres play in white and blue.

Serra coach Patrick Walsh and his players, alumni of the program and what seemed like the entire student body, celebrating wildly at midfield in a state of bedlam. Serra had just beaten St. Francis 21-17 — yes, in football — to snap a 34-game losing streak against its nemesis. Just like that, The Streak was snapped. Finished. Done. Poof.

“I’m going to go home and cry,” said Thomas, one of Serra’s senior stalwarts. “My heart was beating since Monday.”

In one historic night, so much was accomplished. Not only did the Padres (2-0 WCAL, 5-1 overall) remain in the driver’s seat for a league championship, but they exorcised their demons in beating the Lancers (0-2, 3-2-1) for the first time since 1972. In that time, Serra had won 179 games. Over 6,500 students had passed through Serra’s hallowed halls and graduated. In ’72, Ronald Reagan was governor of California and “The Price is Right” debuted on CBS.

Then there was the intrigue of playing on a Friday night. Because of years of neighborhood opposition, the city of San Mateo will not allow Serra to have lights on its field. The Padres get one game a season in which they can bring in portable lights, and the “Friday Night Lights” experience was more enchanting than anyone could’ve ever imagined. St. Francis’ winning streak over Serra had been dissected and talked about for years, a thorn in Serra’s collective backside.

“What streak?” Thomas said mockingly. “Oh my god, this is the best feeling. Words cannot explain how I feel right now.”

As Thomas talked, friends and family members approached him, one by one, 12, 15, 20 hugs and counting. One unidentified person gave Thomas a bear hug and said, “Jeff, the Serra alumni loves you!” Countless students roamed the field, capturing this surreal moment with their cell phone cameras. All were in disbelief, having just witnessed a football game they won’t soon forget, one of the most significant wins in Serra history. For 48 minutes, the Padres and Lancers went toe-to-toe, the spectacular play on the field somehow exceeding the hype.

Serra took the lead on its second play of the game, as Eskridge showed his breathtaking speed by accelerating past the entire St. Francis defense around right end for an electrifying 59-yard touchdown. St. Francis tied it up early in the second quarter before Serra engineered a critical 13-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Eskridge’s 1-yard leap over the pile as time expired in the second. The Lancers rallied — as everyone knew they would — and scored the next 10 points to take a 17-14 lead.

With 3:08 remaining, sophomore Jackson continued to show a maturity beyond his years with a drive for the ages. Starting at his 37, Jackson (11-of-19, 98 yards) coolly drove his team down the field, completing four passes for 37 yards that helped Serra reach the St. Francis 1. On the Padres’ final offensive play, he flipped the ball to Eskridge and immediately helped block for the game-winning touchdown, Eskridge’s third of the game.

The Lancers got the ball back at its 35 and had one last shot at a miracle with 3.9 seconds left. That was too much time for Walsh, who could only think about Serra’s heartbreaking 34-32 loss to Valley Christian two years ago when the Warriors completed a 68-yard Hail Mary as time expired. No need to worry this time. St. Francis quarterback Sam Scudellari did complete a 30-yard pass to Preston Marguet, who immediately lateraled the ball to a teammate only to see a swarm of Serra defenders make the tackle.

“We’re definitely excited, but we’re really at peace right now,” said Eskridge, who rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries. “On the last play, I wanted to get in the end zone for the entire Serra community. We tried not to focus on The Streak, but it’s hard not to because everyone outside the football team talked about it. Right now this is the biggest win of the season because we got rid of The Streak.”

Said Walsh: “I feel a weight has been lifted off this program. We’ve beaten everyone, but we’ve always felt like second-class citizens because we could never beat St. Francis. The courage my guys showed, it was just beautiful. I wanted the kids to call timeout with a second left because I remembered what happened with Valley Christian. There was no way I was going to kick the field goal, and I think everyone in America knew what we were going to do. (Enduring The Streak) was like living everyday with back pain. Now the back pain is gone.”

There were plenty of heroes, from the offensive line to Jackson and Eskridge to linebacker Chris Diego, who was making plays all over the field. Andrew Cullins had four receptions for 50 yards

“It doesn’t seem real,” said Thomas, Serra’s heart and soul. “It seems like I’m in a dream.”