After a string of high-flying seasons as one of the state’s highest-ranked and best-performing football teams, Bishop Diego High’s Cardinals have taken their share of hits this season.
Like knight-errants tilting at windmills, Bishop Diego came into Saturday night’s game against Calabasas bruised and frustrated with a 1-6 record.
But for at least one night, La Playa Stadium was once again turned into Camelot on Saturday as Bishop Diego reclaimed its position as a playoff contender with a 34-15 victory that was actually more decisive than the final score would indicate.
The Cardinals rolled up 217 yards on the ground in the first half – highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown by Oscar Mauia – to take a 28-7 lead and never looked back.
They scored on their first possession of the third quarter and thoroughly dominated the Coyotes defensively until substituting liberally – or as liberally as one can given a roster that has been depleted by several key injuries.
“It’s been a difficult year,” Bishop Diego coach Tom Crawford said. “We’ve had some key injuries and with our roster size, they had a domino effect.
“But this was a good win and hopefully, the guys can recover and we can still make the playoffs. Every game is like a playoff game for us now.”
Although the ways of the CIF power rankings can seem Byzantine at times, the Cardinals can eliminate any mystery by winning their final two games and earning the Marmonte League’s final automatic berth.
And that is exactly what the Cardinals intend to do, according to two-way lineman Tristan Fui.
“Tonight felt good,” Fui said. “With our record, me and my team came into this game hungry. We’re hungry for wins and we need two more to make the playoffs.”
Fui and the rest of the Bishop Diego line did their part to see the Cardinals get fed against Calabasas.
Bishop Diego compiled 315 yards rushing on 33 carries, a high-calorie average of 9.6 yards per carry, and more than enough to power four methodical drives that ended with touchdown runs.
The first came on the opening possession when Gabe Villa ran in from 9 yards to cap a 51-yard drive. Calabasas (2-6) came right back with a nine-play, 58-yard drive to score on a 23-yard run by Caleb Yang and take a 7-6 lead with the PAT kick.
Bishop Diego returned the favor with a seven-play, 57-yard drive and scored on a 7-yard run by Isaiah Kitt. Gabe Villa ran for a two-point conversion to make it 14-7.
“It was good to get the running game back on track,” Crawford said. “The execution was good.”
The Coyotes were not done, however, and they marched 50 yards to reach the Bishop Diego 14-yard line with a 3rd-and-1. Just when it seemed the game was going to be a back-and-forth joust, however, the Cardinals delivered a 1-2 punch that proved insurmountable.
First, senior lineman Mays Pese stood up his opposite number and disengaged in time to knock the ball loose as Calabasas quarterback Adam Guekens dove for a first down.
John Michael Flint led a gang of Cardinals to the loose ball and recovered it at the 10-yard line.
On the next play, Mauia swept right and broke into the open, picking up some key blocks by receivers Ian Bartley and Nick Malesky before racing undisturbed for a 90-yard score.
“I was with my man at the line, playing the gap, when I saw the running back come through,” Pese said of the pivotal play. “I reached out and hit the ball loose and my guys all came in to get it.”
Kent concluded the first half scoring with an 18-yard run after a 55-yard drive. Flint did the honors with a 15-yard run after a 58-yard drive to open the third quarter for Bishop.
Calabasas got back in the end zone midway on a 7-yard pass from Guerken to Thomas Magbuanus but Bishop Diego had the ball at the Coyote 10-yard line when it decided to end the game with a couple of quarterback kneel-downs.
Mauia finished with 121 yards on just three carries while Villa carried most of the load with 76 yards on 10 carries.
Kitt had 36 yards on four carries while Dominic DeRosa totaled 49 yards on eight time-killing carries in the third and fourth quarters.
Tua Rojas completed 6-of-10 passes for 85 yards while Demaji Potts led Calabasas with 36 yards rushing and Yang added 31.
Bishop Diego (2-6, 1-2) will conclude the regular season at Westlake next week and at home against Simi Valley the following week.