The running back trio of Marcus Chan, Isaac Burquez and Qu’ran Gossett combined for five touchdowns and more than 200 yards rushing, and the Bishop Diego defense intercepted five passes in a 43-22 win over defending CIF 3A State Champion Bakersfield Christian on Friday night in Bakersfield.
Bishop Diego improves to 4-0, with one game remaining in the spring football season next Saturday at Newbury Park.
Buddy Melgoza picked off three passes for the Cardinals in the second half.
Chan ran for three touchdowns, 150 yards, and also had an interception.
On their second possession, Cardinals’ quarterback Michael Luckhurst hit Luke Knightley on 20-yard pass to set up Chan’s first touchdown, a 21-yard run, for a 14-0 lead.
The Eagles clawed back late in the second quarter, when quarterback Jayden Huggins found Giancarlo Gamboni for a 29-yard reception. Huggins then connected with Kresean Kizzy for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
The two-point conversion, leaving the Eagles down 14-6 at halftime.
Bishop started the third quarter at the BCHS 21 after a 75-yd kickoff return. But Kizzy picked off a Luckhurst pass and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles converted a two-point conversion and tied the score at 14-14.
Bakersfield Christian got on a roll as quarterback Bryson Waterman found Garret Stephenson for a 76-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles converted again on a two-point conversion to go ahead 22-14.
Bishop Diego stuck to its game plan of handing the ball to Chan, and he ripped off a 37-yard run. He would later cap off the drive with a 1-yard TD. The Cardinals went for two and Luckhurst found Ben Boeddeker in the back of the end zone, tying the score at 22-22.
The Cardinals’ defense then came up big as Johnny Alvarado intercepted a pass. That set up a 28-yard TD run by Burquez. Luckhurst kicked the extra point and the Cardinals went up 29-22.
Melgoza’s interceptions kept the Eagles from scoring any more points.
The Cardinals continued to rely on their running game in the fourth quarter as Qu’Ran Gossett added a touchdown and Burquez picked up his second of the game to extend the lead to 43-22.