BJ Murillo returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and Abel Gonzalez followed that up with a 70-yard run for a score as top-ranked Bishop Diego started fast and rolled over No. 6 Santa Paula, 44-0, in a Tri-Valley League football game on Friday night.
Gonzalez rushed 94 yards and scored two touchdowns, quarterback Gabe Molina passed for a score and the Bishop Diego defense was rock solid again. Anthony Carter returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown, the Cardinals sacked Santa Paula quarterback Christian Garcia five times and held its standout running back Noah Magana to 8 yards on 11 carries.
Nolan Tooley’s big hit on Garcia forced him to fumble and Joe Stevenson recovered. Murillo then made a spectacular one-handed catch of a Molina pass for a 52-yard touchdown play.
Santiago Bollag kicked a 22-yard field goal and Carter scored on a 1-yard run to put the Cardinals up 37-0 at halftime.
When Bishop (7-0, 2-0) got the ball in the second half, it marched down the field and scored a touchdown on a 4-yard run by Gonzalez.
It was the fourth shutout of the season for the Cardinals.
Bishop Diego will next play Oak Park at La Playa Stadium next Saturday. Third-ranked Oak Park stunned defending CIF Northwest Division champion Nordhoff on Friday, 23-3.
