Undefeated mark, game goes to St. Francis football
St. Francis High defeated Buena Park on Friday night to improve to 5-0.
For the second time in three years, the St. Francis High football team completed an undefeated run through its nonleague slate.
Yet, the feat wasn’t easy as the Golden Knights survived a few big plays from high-flying Buena Park to defeat the visiting Coyotes, 28-19, Friday evening at Friedman Field in a battle of unbeatens.
St. Francis is now 5-0 as it will begin Angelus League play Friday versus La Salle, which is 4-1, just like Buena Park.
“You know, our defense just rallied to the ball and they got a couple of one-on-ones and they hit the screen for a touchdown,” said St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds, whose 2014 squad won its first 11 games. “We said all week, ‘No big plays,’ and they have so many talented players. I’m proud of the way we played.”
Buena Park entered Friday’s affair with three Division I committed players and an additional three other highly recruited prospects.
Yet, the stat that likely stands out largest came from the St. Francis defense, which held Buena Park 0 for four in red zone possessions with three turnovers on downs and one interception from senior Gabriel Mathews.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a team do that,” Bonds said of the red zone shutout. “It’s a testament to the defense.”
The last of those stands came with the Golden Knights leading, 28-19, with 5:31 left in the contest.
Buena Park drove from its nine-yard line to the Golden Knights’ 19. Yet, four plays later and a loss of five yards, Buena Park quarterback Deshaun Harvey heaved a ball that fell incomplete and out of bounds with 2:19 remaining in the contest.
Buena Park only had one other possession that came with less than 20 seconds left.
“We just have to execute when you play a good program like St. Francis,” Buena Park Coach Anthony White said. “It comes down to execution. We wanted a big game like this, one that counts. When you come up four times in the red zone and have zero points, that’s why you lose.”
Buena Park had been a machine in its four previous contests, outscoring opponents, 193-6. Yet, those four foes had combined for a 2-15-1 record heading into Friday.
Harvey completed 19 of 31 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns with one interception.
Coyotes wide receiver Devon Cooley, one of the sought-after prospects, tallied five catches for two touchdowns and 99 yards, while Victor Bates finished with five catches for 99 yards.
On the flip side, St. Francis quarterback Michael Bonds completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. Bonds also rushed for 56 yards with one key score.
Bonds paced a 17-play, 80-yard drive that spanned 5 minutes, 55 seconds and resulted in a nine-yard touchdown keeper that put the Golden Knights ahead, 28-13, with 10:29 left in the game.
The touchdown was the lone score for the Golden Knights in the second half.
Buena Park showed off its big-play ability the very next play when four-star recruit Elijah Woods returned the following kickoff 96 yards for a score. The ensuing two-point conversion failed as Buena Park pulled within 28-19.
The Coyotes also tallied a 26-yard touchdown pass from Harvey to Cooley at the four-minute mark in the third, which brought Buena Park within 21-13.
“I’m very proud of our defensive effort,” Mathews said. “Just because they got in the red zone doesn’t mean we quit. We never gave up and our coaches complimented us on that.”
Thought St. Francis junior running back Elijah Washington only carried six times in the contest, he made his presence known, particularly in the first half.
Washington finished with 58 yards on the ground, but scored from 22 and 27 yards in the first half as the Golden Knights led, 21-6, going into the break.
Washington was a perfect counterbalance to the hard running of senior Jace Harrick, who carried 27 times for 95 yards.
St. Francis’ other first-half score came when Bonds hit wide open senior receiver Daniel Scott on a 52-yard pass play as Scott ran unabated to the end zone. The score came at the five-minute mark of the second quarter.
The Coyotes’ lone first-half touchdown came on a 40-yard inside screen from Harvey to Cooley that gave Buena Park a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The point-after try was missed as Buena Park only converted one point-after attempt.
