By Tim Peterson
(Santa Fe Springs) – St. Paul scored first and never relinquished the lead and went on to beat Bishop Amat 21-12 Friday night at The Pit at St. Paul.
The win was the first time St. Paul has beaten Bishop Amat since 2000. Down nine in the fourth quarter Bishop Amat drove into deep into St. Paul territory but Marcus Munoz stepped in front of a Frankie Villalbazo pass at the four-yard line to end the threat. The Swordsmen then chewed up the final 6:42 off the clock on the ground to secure the victory.
St. Paul led 14-6 at the half but the Lancers cut it to 14-12 early in the third quarter. Jerry Rojo caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Villalbazo with 7:21 remaining in the third. A two-point conversion attempt failed.
But St. Paul responded with 71-yard march. Gabe Castaneda finished it with a one-yard rush into the end zone to with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter to increase the lead to 21-12.
Bishop Amat then had its drive halted on the pick by Munoz and the Swordsmen seized control.
St. Paul drew first blood when Castaneda hit Josiah Lafferre on a 26-yard touchdown pass with just nine seconds left in the first quarter.
A turnover led to Amat’s first score. Christian Alarcon intercepted a Castaneda toss at the St. Paul 15-yard line. On the next play Ryan Salcedo raced in for a 15-yard TD jaunt early in the second quarter. A two-point conversion attempt failed.
St. Paul made it 14-6 with 6:51 left in the second quarter on a one-yard run by Castaneda to cap a 61-yard drive.
The Lancers had a golden opportunity to score in the second quarter when a receiver dropped a wide-open touchdown pass.
For the Swordsmen Joseph Lafferre had 17 carries for 100 yards and was the go to guy down the stretch. Castaneda threw for 157 yards and had the two short TD runs. Marley Luatua added 37 tough yards on the ground.
For Bishop Amat Villalbazo threw for 160 yards and a touchdown with the interception. Salcedo had 13 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.
“We finally ended 24 years of misery trying to beat these guys. Got nothing but respect for them but tonight was our night,” said St. Paul coach Mike Moschetti. “This stadium is not just another stadium in Pico Rivera. And I tell you what they’re going to have a long ride home back to Hacienda Heights.”
St. Paul improved to 2-0 with the win while Bishop Amat dropped to 1-1.
Nope. Think before you post. There’s always hype and drama around big games. If you don’t know, ask somebody.
Sorry, some people aren’t privy to all info, perception is everything if you say something that is perceived to be disrespectful from the outside looking in, it’s going to make you look bad.
MattV catching strays but he probably deserves it hahaha.
So crazy how so many people didn’t realize the joke about pico and hacienda heights. If you’re gonna post, do your homework. It’s like wedding crashers, do not commit unless you’re sure.
Timmy don’t respond. Make them out for the idiots they are.
Anyway, I don’t have a dog in the Amat and SP fight. Seems like a cool thing though. If you’re a casual, don’t talk unless you know.
I lost respect for hagerty for making that stupid comment, something moronic Mattv would’ve done, then to proceed and take the first loss to SP in decades. Go ahead and keep scheduling West Covina and other d10 teams, that’s about where Amat is heading.
La Serna is not Almont
Seems the most interesting thing about the game was where that lopsided stadium is located.
“This stadium is not just any other stadium in Pico Rivera” Pico Rivera? Isn’t St. Paul in Santa Fe Springs? If anything, kind of a Santa Fe Springs peninsula in Whittier.
From T. Peterson: You must have missed all of the back and forth last week between SP and Amat. That was a shot at Amat.
Stop posting
Now I ssee why the Mid has been ignoring Amat for decades. All hype. I think their coach has taken Amat as low as they can go. They better stick to playing Almont League teams like La Serna.
How is the kid that got hurt?
Moschetti’s right: the Pit isn’t just another stadium in Pico Rivera, because it’s located in Santa Fe Springs. Also, the Lancers went back to La Puente, not Hacienda Heights. Glad the guy’s teaching football and not
geography.
From. T. Peterson: You must have missed everything last week. This was in reference to the back and forth that’s been going on. It was a shot at Amat.