Bishop Diego and Sierra Canyon clash tonight for a chance to compete for a CIF-Southern Section championship next week. The Trailblazers (12-0) are the No. 1 seed in the East Valley Division while the Cardinals (11-1) are the fourth seed.
The two teams meet in the postseason for the second consecutive year. Bishop Diego will be looking for revenge after getting trounced last year 48-17 in the first round.
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GAME OVER: Sierra Canyon improves to 13-0 on the season with its 42-16 triumph. The Trailblazers will be making their second straight appearance in a CIF Southern Section championship. In fact, it will be a rematch of last year’s title game as Paraclete defeated Rim of the World 45-17 in the other East Valley Division semifinal. Bishop Diego has its 11-game winning streak snapped and finishes its season at 11-2.
LATE FOURTH QUARTER: Sierra Canyon has taken control with two late touchdowns and holds a commanding 42-16 lead with less than two minutes to go. Two Bishop Diego turnovers set up touchdowns for Sierra Canyon. Stewart scored on a 1-yard plunge while Menifield scored his third touchdown of the game on a 15-yard run to make it 42-16. Menifield now has 26 touchdowns on the season.
START OF FOURTH QUARTER: Bishop Diego’s defense holds the Trailblazers to a 20-yard field goal after Sierra Canyon had a 1st-and-10 on the Cardinals 11-yard line. The score stands at 29-16 with 10:08 remaining in the game.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: The score remains 26-16 at the start of the final period but Sierra Canyon is threatening to score again. The Cardinals were about to go for it on 4th-and-1 late in the third quarter but a delay of game penalty made it 4th-and-6 and the Cardinals punted. Xavier Menifield then broke off a 45-yard gain out of the backfield to help bring the Trailblazers to Bishop Diego’s 11-yard line to start the quarter.
LATE THIRD QUARTER: Bishop Diego’s defense stops Sierra Canyon but the Cardinals fumble on the punt return and give the Trailblazers the ball back in Cardinal territory. Sierra Canyon, holding a 23-16 lead, takes over on Bishop Diego’s 32-yard line. SC settles for a 31-yard FG for a 26-16 lead with 3:19 in the quarter.
MID THIRD QUARTER: Bishop Diego responds with its first points of the second half. Nolan Tisdale threw his second TD pass of the game, this one to Nic Mon, for a 20-yard strike. With 6:46 on the clock, Sierra Canyon kept the score at 23-16 by blocking the PAT. It was a 7-play, 58-yard drive.
THIRD QUARTER: With 8:53 on the clock, Sierra Canyon takes a 23-10 lead after quarterback Tyler Stewart records his 31st TD completion of the season. Stewart connected with Reggie Prince for a 45-yard score. Bishop Diego received the kick to start the second half but a fake punt on 4th-and-1 was unsuccessful.
HALFTIME: Bishop Diego’s Justin Brosnan kicks a 30-yard field goal as time expires to bring the Cardinals within a touchdown at 16-10. After the Trailblazers’ FG with 44 seconds remaining, the Cardinals used a good return from Brandon Gonzalez, followed by three completions by QB Nolan Tisdale of 14, 19, and 4 yards to get within field goal range.
LATE SECOND QUARTER: Sierra Canyon builds on its lead with a 35-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining in the first half. The Cardinals are able to return kick to their own 48.
SECOND QUARTER: Sierra Canyon has taken a 13-7 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run from Menifield, his second of the game. The Cardinals managed to block the extra point. Menifield’s scoring run capped a 64-yard drive that began after a weak 10-yard punt from Bishop Diego.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: After Bishop Diego missed a 22-yard field goal, Sierra Canyon opened up the scoring on their next possession on a 22-yard TD run from Xavier Menifield. Sierra Canyon took a 7-0 lead with 1:10 remaining in the first quarter but the Cardinals quickly tied the game when Nolan Tisdale found Sam Kwock over the middle for a 54-yard scoring strike with 16.7 seconds left in the first period. GAME TIED 7-7
KICKOFF: Sierra Canyon has won the coinflip and has chosen to receive the kick off from Bishop to start the game. The two schools are playing in John Elway Stadium at Granada Hills High School, where it is a cold but calm night without any of the wind that has been blowing the last few nights. Bishop is wearing white jerseys with red numbers.
