St. Francis football staves off Salesian for dramatic victory

In a game in which impactful plays were in abundance, the final big play of the evening and the last gasp for Salesian High came to rest in the arms of St. Francis defensive back Andrew Monarrez.

Monarrez’ interception with no time left was the game-clincher, while quarterback Michael Bonds’ 80-yard touchdown pass to receiver Gabriel Mathews was the game-winner in a nail-biting 20-13 Angelus League victory for St. Francis over Salesian on Saturday night at Friedman Field.

“Our coaches told us it would be a dogfight and it was for all four quarters,” said defensive back Bobby Gazmarian, who blocked a point-after attempt and made a phenomenal interception late in the game despite sitting out for portions due to an injury. “We came out with the win.”

The win maintained an undefeated mark for St. Francis (7-0, 2-0 in league), ranked fourth in CIF Southern Section Division III, exorcised some of the demons from a 27-20 double-overtime loss to Salesian last season and continued the Golden Knights’ course for a huge matchup with Cathedral in two weeks’ time between the last two undefeated teams in league.

It was a victory clinched by Monarrez, who came down with a pass into the end zone on the final play. The Mustangs threw the ball from the St. Francis 36-yard line after Monarrez had intercepted the ball on the previous play, but the Golden Knights were flagged for having 12 men on the field, giving Salesian an untimed down.

Salesian (5-2, 1-1), ranked third in CIF Southern Section Division V, held a 6-3 lead late in the third quarter and then a 13-10 advantage with 9:45 remaining in the game.

But circumstances appeared most dire for St. Francis when the Mustangs were driving late in the fourth stanza and reached the Golden Knights’ 31-yard line. But as it did more often than not, the St. Francis defense bent, but did not break, holding strong to force a punt for a touchback.

Just one play and 11 seconds later, the Golden Knights took the lead back for good.

Bonds faked a screen and Mathews (three catches for 105 yards) was wide open as he hauled in a catch and never slowed down en route to an 80-yard score for a 17-13 advantage.

“We had a little play-action bubble. We saw it at halftime and we knew we would come back to it,” said Bonds, who completed nine of 15 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including a 10-yarder to Will Mudie, on his 18th birthday. “It was a great play call.”

St. Francis kicker Dulles Hanula had an outstanding game with a 47-yard field goal and a 33-yarder, as well as going two for two on extra points and booting all five of his kickoffs for touchbacks. Running backs Elijah Washington (14 carries for 78 yards) and Jace Harrick (14 carries for 60 yards) continued their run as a potent one-two punch for the Golden Knights, who had four sacks from the defense, with two from Gabriel Grbavac and four turnovers.

“Our defense did a good job the whole game,” Bonds said.

Leading, 17-13, with 4:19 to play, St. Francis got a huge sack from Gavin Campbell. On third and 15 from its own 15-yard line, Salesian threw a pass to the sideline. Gazmarian jumped the route, tipped the pass up and then caught it along the sideline while falling down. This all came after he’d previously been sidelined with an injury.

“I wanted to get back in,” Gazmarian said. “I blocked it out with my mind and kept playing.”

St. Francis’ offense took over on the Salesian 27, but was only able to get to the 11 before facing a fourth and six. Coach Jim Bonds rolled the dice on a fake field goal that saw Mudie catch a pass and run in untouched for a score, but it was called back on a false start.

Then, Hanula converted a 33-yard field goal for a 20-13 advantage.

Salesian, taking over on its own 20 with 32 seconds left, had no timeouts, but still gained 29 yards on a pair of passes and then 15 yards on a penalty that set up the final untimed down.

“I’m really happy with the team in general,” said coach Bonds, whose team was playing without injured All-Area linebacker Maxx Jakeway. “I told them, ‘Everybody needs to step up their game,’ and, when we had to, I think we did.”

Salesian possessed a lofty size and speed advantage with running back/receiver Deommodore Lenoir one of the best examples, as the 6-footer caught seven passes for 60 yards and ran 12 times for 80 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave the Mustangs a 6-3 lead (Gazmarian blocked the ensuing PAT attempt). Quarterback Robbie Blosser was also a big load for the Golden Knights, as he completed 20 of 27 passes for 201 yards and a 28-yard touchdown pass to Lenoir that gave Salesian a 13-10 lead with 9:45 left.

But, the Golden Knights had four takeaways against Blosser.

After Blosser unbelievably sneaked for seven yards on fourth and one from the St. Francis 13, he was stripped and the fumble was recovered by Zach Kejmar.

Later in the first half, Salesian was back in the red zone, but Daniel Scott picked off Blosser in the end zone.

Neither takeaway turned into a score, though, as the game was tied at 0 with St. Francis mustering just 95 total yards in the first half off three possessions, with just one passing yard.

St. Francis got into a rhythm offensively on the first drive of the second half, which culminated with a 3-0 lead thanks to Hanula’s 47-yard field goal.

“Dulles came out with a great field goal kick and I think that’s what got us going,” Michael Bonds said.

In all, of St. Francis’ four turnovers, only three points were scored off them, which came after Hanula’s second field goal following Gazmarian’s pick.

But St. Francis stopped Salesian in the red zone or end zone three times and remained undefeated in the process.

Said Michael Bonds: “I thought we just played great as a team overall.”