When two Top 5 teams meet, an epic game is almost guaranteed. St. John Bosco, ranked 2nd in the DigitalSports National Football Rankings, and Bishop Gorman, ranked 4th, certainly did not disappoint when they met on Friday, September 26. After a 55-minute rain delay under thunder and lightning, game finally got under way.
Gorman took an early lead with the first quarter’s lone score when sophomore quarterback Tate Martell punched in a 5-yard run after leading the team 71-yards downfield. Getting on the board early in the second quarter, Bosco converted on a field goal to cut the Gaels’ lead down to 7-3.
Wasting no time for a response, Bishop Gorman running back Russell Booze carried the ball 80 yards for a score on the opening play of the next drive. After another rushing touchdown from Jonathan Shumaker late in the second, Gorman entered the half with a comfortable 20-3 lead.
Tyjon Lindsey got the scoring going when Tate Martell found him on a short pass and he ran 67 yards downfield for Martell’s first touchdown pass of the game. Then, finally finding some momentum, St. John Bosco scored less than a minute later in a drive capped off by Josh Rosen hitting Anselem Umeh for a 13-yard score.
The Gaels came right back with a 24-yard touchdown connection from Martell to Alize Jones. Bosco answered before the end of the quarter when Sean McGrew found the endzone on a six-yard rush to send the game into the fourth at 34-17.
In the final quarter, the Braves finally found a way to keep Gorman’s offense at bay and ended up shutting them out for the rest of the quarter. With the defense performing well, it was up to Bosco’s offense to get to work.
Josh Rosen hit tight end Jarett Balter for a 25-yard score with just under six minutes to go. After Bosco’s defense got the ball back in Rosen’s hands, he found Kaylin Franklin for an eight-yard TD bringing the Braves within three points of Gorman with 1:12 left of the clock.
Unfortunately for St. John Bosco, it was too little too late and Bishop Gorman was able to hold on to the 34-31 win. Despite being held scoreless in the final quarter, the Gaels strong start proved to be just too much for Bosco. Gorman pulled off a hard-earned victory.
Both teams had star performers. Gorman’s Tate Martell finished with 12 completions on 17 attempts for 228 yards and two touchdowns, along with a rushing score. Russell Booze carried the ball 24 times, gaining 158 yards and a touchdown.
Bosco’s Josh Rosen had himself another exceptional day at the office. The senior threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns as he tried to lead his team back in the game.
Processing your request, Please wait....
