Game of the Week : Bishop Amat Rallies to Beat Servite

Junior running back Eric Bieniemy, who rushed for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns, scored from the one with 3:26 remaining to give undefeated Bishop Amat a come-from-behind, 26-21 victory over Servite of Anaheim Friday night before 8,500 fans at La Puente.

The victory improved the Lancers’ record to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the Angelus League. Servite dropped to 8-1 and 3-1.

Perhaps the least surprised by Bieniemy’s performance was Bishop Amat Coach Don Markham, who said: “He’s that kind of a player. He’s done it all year.”

Bieniemy, who had 34 carries Friday night, has rushed for 1,398 yards in 222 carries this season, surpassing the school’s all-time season rushing mark of 1,320 yards, set by Randy Tanner in 1983. Tanner was a starting wide receiver for USC before being injured two weeks ago.

Bieniemy was about the only Bishop Amat player who was able to gain yardage consistently against Servite, which held the rest of the Lancer offense to 63 yards.

“They defensed us real good,” Markham said. “I thought the score would be 28 to something and I was just about right. But the something was awfully close.”

Servite used the passing of quarterback Tim Rosenkranz to take a 21-14 lead in the third quarter.

Rosenkranz completed four passes for 51 yards in a six-play drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nick-John Haiduc.

Rosenkranz, among the passing yardage leaders in the Southern Section, completed 16 of 34 for 209 yards.

Bishop Amat pulled within a point when flanker Lee Barrett took an inside reverse and ran 37 yards for a touchdown with 10:46 remaining in the game.

However, placekicker Steve Clark’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Servite defensive back Jason Rolish to keep the Friars in front for the moment.

After Bieniemy’s ensuing touchdown, Bishop Amat wrapped up the victory with its pass defense.

First, defensive back Johnny Brown intercepted a Rosenkranz pass with 2:55 left.

Then, after a Bishop Amat punt, the Lancers forced Rosenkranz to throw four straight incomplete passes from his own 24-yard line in the final minute.

“Our pass defense was very good,” Markham said. “We really held together. It was a prayer on every play.”