[imagebrowser id=23]
By Nick Figueroa
Sports Editor
LA PUENTE – The Bishop Amat Lancers pulled off what might be the upset of the year so far by defeating the St. Bonaventure Seraphs, 24-23, in an excitement-filled overtime game at Kiefer Stadium on Friday night.
The Lancers came in as 24-point underdogs to the state’s third-ranked team, according to CalPreps.
The Lancers defense held the Seraphs on their first drive and that led to a 43-yard field goal by Lancers kicker Alex Ragsdale.
The Seraphs then answered back with a long drive that ended with a quarterback sneak from 1-yard out. Making the score 7-3 early in the second quarter.
The Lancers immediately responded with a 91-yard kickoff return from Darien Johnson. This put the Lancers ahead yet again, 10-7.
The Seraphs would have an answer for the Lancers score with a drive capped off with another 1-yard touchdown run. This gave the Seraphs a 14-10 with six minutes remaining in the first half.
The Lancers were not able to score and had to punt the ball away with little time remaining in the half.
The Seraphs kicked a field goal as time expired and gave them the halftime lead of 17-10.
The Lancers offense was shut down though and needed to figure out a way to score.
But the defense made up the scoring slack as Johnson had yet another touchdown, this time stepping in front of the receiver to intercept the pass and continued to run it back 80-yards for a touchdown. Not only did this tie the game up, but it also fired up everybody on the Amat side.
This was all the scoring during regulation and the game went into overtlpime.
In high school, overtime consists of placing the ball at the opposing team’s 25-yard line. The other team will then get the ball, regardless of what happens with the opposing team’s offense. The team that receives the ball second, has a chance to top the score.
The Lancers were on defense to begin overtime and the Seraphs scored on another 1-yard touchdown run. The special teams came up huge and Davis Casarez blocked the extra point. The Seraphs were ahead by the count of 23-17.
It was now the Lancers turn and they would not upset their home crowd.
After losing some yards, Jerry McClanahan connected with Darien Johnson for a 25-yard pass. This placed the ball at the Seraphs 3-yard line.
The Lancers now had 4 tries to punch it into the end zone from 3-yards out, and it took them all 4 tries.
The Lancers failed to move the ball on the first two plays. On 3rd down the Lancers moved the ball to the Seraphs 1-yard line.
On 4th down and from 1-yard out Jay Andersen punched it into the end zone. Alex Ragsdale then made the extra point, and the entire “Dog Pound” cleared and rushed onto the field. The players and students celebrated at the 50-yard line.
Bishop Amat had pulled off the upset and left the Seraphs, the nation’s No. 17 ranked team, stunned.