After a 5-0 run through its non-league slate, the Bishop Diego football team built on that momentum in its Marmonte League opener with a 43-16 rout of Camarillo on Thursday night at La Playa Stadium.
The Cardinals displayed a balanced offensive attack and pulled away in the second half, as a deep assortment of playmakers made their presence felt.
“We feel like we still have some things to correct and areas to grow, but we have enough guys that are doing really positive things and making plays for us on both sides of the ball and on special teams,” said Bishop Diego head coach Tom Crawford. “I think they have a lot of confidence right now.”
Bishop Diego got on the board first with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Tua Rojas to Sam Crawford with 6:33 remaining in the first quarter. However, Camarillo hung tough early, responding with a 13-play, 65-yard drive capped off by an 11-yard touchdown run by Shane Feller.
The Scorpions added a two-point conversion on a fake kick to take an 8-7 lead with 2:06 remaining in the first quarter.
The Cardinals regained the lead on their ensuing possession with a two-yard touchdown run by Gabe Villa at the 10:34 mark of the second quarter.
Villa finished with 136 yards rushing on 18 carries and three total touchdowns, continuing his workhorse role while star running back Oscar Mauia recovers from an upper-body injury.
A Bishop Diego surge just before halftime broke the game open. Rojas connected with John Michael Flint on a 63-yard touchdown pass with 2:48 remaining in the second quarter, putting the Cardinals ahead 22-8.
Rojas completed 12-of-15 passes for 242 yards and four touchdowns. He has accumulated 16 touchdown passes and just one interception so far this season.
After a quick Camarillo three-and-out, Bishop Diego put together a five-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a 27-yard touchdown pass from Rojas to Villa. On the play, Rojas scrambled to his left and found Villa near the sideline, where he made several Camarillo defenders miss on his way to the end zone, giving Bishop Diego a 29-8 halftime lead.
The visiting Scorpions continued to fight in the second half, cutting their deficit to 29–16 on a 35-yard pass from Brad Barlow to Matthew Meyer with 3:17 left in the third quarter.
Villa responded with the knockout blow on the next Bishop Diego drive, breaking free for a 42-yard touchdown run that put the Cardinals ahead 36-16 with 2:26 remaining in the third.
Bishop Diego tacked on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Rojas to Crawford— their second deep connection of the game— with 1:20 left in the third quarter to close the scoring.
Crawford also added a fourth-quarter interception and has thrived on both sides of the ball as a senior.
“We’ve just grown together through sophomore, junior, and now senior year, making each other better,” Crawford said of his chemistry with Rojas. “We had Nick Malesky last year, and with him graduating, I’ve kind of stepped into his role on offense.”
The Cardinals dive into the deep end of Marmonte League play next week with a matchup at perennial powerhouse Oaks Christian on Friday, October 10.
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