Bishop Diego didn’t find anything surprising in Atascadero’s game plan in Friday’s CIF Northern Division football quarterfinal game. The Greyhounds ran and ran and ran to the tune of 355 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-7 victory.
The Greyhounds (10-2) advance to next week’s semifinals while Bishop Diego ends its first season playing in Division 3 with a 10-2 record.
The Cardinals were able to move the ball against a bigger opponent. They gained just 86 yards on the ground. They advanced into Atascadero territory three times in the first half but were stopped each time.
Atascadero scored on its first possession, running the ball nine times. R.J. Reusche ploweed into the end zone from 8 yards for the score, capping a 79-yard drive. The PAT was missed leaving the Greyhounds ahead 6-0 with 2:32 to go in the quarter. Reushce rushed for 167 yards on 23 carries.
After Bishop was stopped short on a fourth-and-one at the Atascadero 40, the Greyhounds came right back and scored. Cooper Kuhnle scored on an end around for a 13-0 lead at halftime.
The Greyhounds, who are joined in the semifinals by Pac 5 members Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande, kept the ball on the ground in the second half. They went 74 yards on nine rushing plays and scored on a 3-yard run by Nick Ducasse. The PAT made it 20-0 with 8:12 to go in the third period.
Atascadero quarterback Tommy Carr showed Bishop’s defense that he can throw the ball, too. He completed a 35-yard pass to Kuhnle to make it 27-0 at the end of the third quarter. Ducasse ran 5 yards for the final score of the game in the fourth quarter.
Bishop avoided the shutout with a 68-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Spencer Stovesand to AV Bennett. Stovesand and Bennett hooked up three times for 117 yards. For the game, Stovesand was 9 for 16 for 161 yards.
