Behind strong play from the offensive and defensive lines, Bishop Diego rumbled to a 63-13 CIF-SS Division-6 playoff victory over Norte Vista (Riverside) on Friday at La Playa Stadium.
The Cardinals scored five touchdowns over eight-and-a-half minutes spanning the first and second quarters to turn a 14-7 game into a 49-7 halftime lead.
Despite missing star running back John Harris, who suffered a knee injury in a heartbreaking, double-overtime loss to Grace Brethren last week, Bishop Diego (10-1, 2-1) ran all over Norte Vista (3-8), gaining over 300 yards on the ground.
“It starts up front in terms of guys doing their jobs and executing their assignments,” explained Bishop Diego head coach Tom Crawford.
“It all starts up front,” echoed tackle Xavier Carroll. “We have a full senior line, that’s what really leads us.”
Adrian Soracco and Evan McKeegan filled in nicely for Harris at running back, scoring four combined touchdowns. Senior Nick Kislow added two scores on the ground.
Bishop Diego struck first as Soracco found the end zone from 5 yards out early in the first quarter.
Norte Vista responded with their most successful drive of the night, stringing together short gains in the run game and capitalizing on a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on the Bishop sideline. Running back Chris Melesio punched the ball in from 1-yard out to tie the game at 7.
The Cardinals then shifted into a higher gear, scoring 56 unanswered points, including 49 total in the second and third quarters.
“We got better as the game wore on,” claimed Crawford. “It was nice to see our guys play that physical.”
McKeegan scored from 4- and 49-yards out, respectively, to end the first quarter.
“I was just focused on what I can do to help the team,” McKeegan said of filling in for Harris.
Norte Vista, renowned for a game plan that almost entirely excludes punting, saw their first attempted punt of the night blocked and returned 10-yards for a touchdown by freshman Luke Knightley.
Ashton Borgeson would recover a fumble by Melesio on the ensuing series, and quarterback Jake Engel hit Isaiah Veal for a 34-yard touchdown along the sideline to make it a 35-7 game. Bishop would score twice more before halftime, on a 28-yard run by Chris Mesipam and a 13-yard run by Kislow.
The second half was much of the same, as McKeegan scored his third touchdown of the game from four yards out and Kislow broke free and sped 49-yards for the last of Bishop Diego’s nine touchdowns.
Junior kicker Jack Luckhurst was 9-for-9 on PAT’s on the night for the Cardinals.
“We all practiced hard this week and it was a whole team effort,” said McKeegan. “Everyone contributed and did their part, that’s why we came out and won.”
“It really put everything into perspective,” Carroll said of winning in dominating fashion after last week’s loss. “This week was really just focus, and everyone stepped up as a leader.”
Bishop Diego hosts San Marino (8-2), second-place finishers in the Rio Hondo League next Friday, November 17. San Marino defeated Summit (Fontana) on Friday in a shootout 62-49. The Titans are ranked ninth in Division 6.
“Our guys are experienced enough to quickly turn the page from this victory, like we did with the loss last week, and that’s the critical thing,” explained Crawford. “We’ve got to turn the page and get ready for the next opponent each round.”
— Noozhawk sports reporter Christian Eckert can be reached at ceckert@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports and @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.