Bishop Diego improved to 3-0 in the spring football season by handing host Simi Valley its first loss, 23-20, on Thursday night.
The Cardinals built a 16-0 halftime lead and then staved off a second-half rally by the Pioneers, who had scored 91 points in their first two wins.
Bishop defenders Gabe Martinez and Logo Logo Vaa tackled Simi’s Caleb Alvary for a safety in the second quarter, and the Cardinals got touchdowns from Qu’Ran Gossett on a 1-yard run and Marcus Chan, who went 31 yards on a screen pass from quarterback Michael Luckhurst.
Chan scored the eventual deciding touchdown on a 50-yard interception return with 7:14 to go in the game.
Simi Valley quarterback Travis Throckmorton threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a connection to Malik Hunt to pull within three points with 4:28 remaining.
The Pioneers tried an onside kick and Bishop Diego recovered and ran out the clock.
This was the first of three straight road games for the Cardinals to end the five-week season. They play at defending state champion Bakersfield Christian next Friday and finish at Newbury Park on Saturday, April 17.