PRE-GAME INTRO (UPDATES BELOW): ?Elevated to the Tri-Valley League this season, Bishop Diego?s football team knew the road to a league championship would be a steeper climb.
The Cardinals rose to the challenge and find themselves one step away from the summit, albeit a rugged step. They take on Nordhoff in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 CIF Northwest Division showdown for the TVL title at La Playa Stadium.
Nordhoff (8-0, 2-0 TVL) is the division?s top-ranked team, having jumped over Bishop Diego (8-0, 3-0) after week four and holding on to the position.?Saturday’s winner will more than likely be the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.
Read the full game preview HERE.
Check back tomorrow for video highlights, interviews, and a written recap.
FOURTH QUARTER
GAME OVER – Comes down to very last play. Bishop defense stops Nordhoff on four plays inside their 20 to secure the victory and the Tri-Valley League championship.
1:35 – Anthony Carter picks up the first down and more on a bootleg run but a flag for an illegal block wipes it out. Whoah!!!!! Bishop Diego turns it over and Nordhoff has the ball on the 15-yard line with 1:12 on the clock
1:45 – Bishop Diego has rushed it twice and Nordhoff has taken its last two timeouts. A stop here would allow Nordhoff to get the ball back with roughly a minute of clocktime.
1:56 – That might do it. BJ Murillo gets Bishop Diego’s third interception of the night, this one in the endzone.
3:19 – Bishop Diego’s defense forces a punt but Nordhoff responds by forcing a fumble to get the ball back in their offense’s hands. Nordhoff has a first down at Bishop’s 31 yard line.
5:02 – Koby Welch tackles the Bishop Diego rusher for a loss on fourth down, getting the ball back for Nordhoff with five minutes remaining.
7:30 – Anthony Carter quarterback sneak gets the necessary yard for a first down. 1st-and-10 on the Nordhoff 38.
7:36 – With Bishop quarterback Gabe Molina injured, junior Nunzio Bilotti is sharing snaps under center with Anthony Carter. The Cardinals just used their third timeout before a 4th-and-1 situation.
11:52 – A 12-yard completion to Aidan Williams keeps the Cardinals possession alive.
THIRD QUARTER
End of Quarter – Bishop faces a 3rd-and-9 when the 4th quarter begins. The ball sits on the Bishop Diego 28 yard-line.
1:29 – Nordhoff comes out of a timeout and throws an incomplete pass on fourth down, causing the Rangers to give up possession after moving to ball to Bishop’s 27-yard line. Bishop Diego burns its second timeout of the half after a first-down carry.
1:33 – Great crowd here at La Playa Stadium. Not sure what capacity is, but definitely mostly full.
4:13 – Bishop Diego takes its first lead of the game on a 19-yard touchdown completion from Anthony Carter to BJ Murillo. Completes 71-yard drive that featured several long gains highlighted by Aiden Williams’ 19-yard rush.?Cardinals lead 14-7
7:20 – Nothing going for the Rangers and they punt after a three-and-out. Cardinals start on their own 29-yard line.
8:49 – Nordhoff’s Brandon Wadsworth blocks a Bishop Diego field goal attempt. The Cardinals tried a 37-yarder. ?Brad Sloan picked up the loose ball and returned it to the Nordhoff 42 for a Ranger first down.
11:00 – Nolan Tooley, injured in the first half, trots back onto the field for the start of the second half. Gabe Molina is on crutches and does not look like he will return. BJ Murillo gains 29 yards on a catch and run to start the half. Then Abel Gonzalez gains a chunk of yards and the Cardinals have moved the ball 54 yards on three plays. First down and 10 on Nordhoff’s 26.
12:00 – The Rangers will receive the kick to start the second half. Bishop Diego has scored 39 or more points in seven of its eight games this season. Nordhoff has scored 28 or more in seven of its eight games. Looks like a different story tonight.
SECOND QUARTER
0:12 – Nordhoff finally forced to punt. Bishop fair catches at its own 29-yard line. The Cardinals decide to run a play and Anthony Carter coughs up a fumble on the play. Nordhoff takes over with 1.9 seconds before halftime on Bishop’s 39-yard line. ?Tanner Workman heaves a pass towards the endzone but it is knocked down. Halftime arrives with score tied 7-7.
0:45 – Injury timeout for Nolan Tooley, who is helped off with what looks like a hurt ankle. Nordhoff’s current drive has eaten a ton of time but hasn’t seen the Rangers move the ball too much. Penalties on both teams have stunted momentum.
6:16 – On second down, the Cardinals run play action to perfection as Anthony Carter connects with a wide-open Nolan Tooley for a Bishop Diego touchdown. PAT good. Scoreboard reads 7-7.
6:27 – On Nordhoff’s first down play, Tanner Workman’s pass attempt was tipped at the line of scrimmage and fell into the hand of a Bishop defender for another interception. The Cardinals have first and goal on Nordhoff’s 3-yard line.
6:35 – After losing possession on downs twice already, Bishop elects to punt on its latest possession, pinning the Rangers on their own 9-yard line.
8:45 – Nordhoff was threatening again, reaching the Bishop Diego 20-yard line after a 26-yard catch by Brad Sloan. But Anthony Carter intercepted a pass on third down and possession goes back to the Cardinals.
11:47 – On the first play of the second quarter, Nordhoff’s Matt Woodcock takes a handoff 61 yards down the left side for the game’s first touchdown. The point after makes it 7-0 Rangers.
FIRST QUARTER
3:56 – It’s Nordhoff’s defense that makes the stop this time, keeping Bishop from getting a first down on 3-and-2. Bishop then tries for it on fourth down to no avail. Nordhoff takes over on downs at its own 35-yard line. Game still scoreless.
9:16 – Nordhoff picks up two first downs but the Rangers’ drive stalls on the 50-yard line. The Rangers are forced to punt on their first possession. Kick goes out of bounds, Bishop takes over on 20-yard line.
12:00 – Bishop Diego, dressed in red jerseys with white helmets, kicks off to Nordhoff, wearing white with blue helmets. After a short return, the Rangers will start at their own 21 yard line to start the game.
