Bialas Passes Canyon Past Notre Dame, 27-7

Try throwing a wrench into Canyon High’s offensive works and the Cowboy machine merely seems to run even more smoothly.

With leading rusher David McDivitt sidelined because of a deep thigh bruise suffered last week against Hart, Canyon needed some firepower from a new source. Cowboy quarterback Kevin Bialas, meeting the challenge, completed 18 of 24 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown to pace the visiting Cowboys to a 27-7 trouncing of Notre Dame.

Bialas was at his best in the first half, completing 11 of 12 passes for 106 yards and orchestrating Canyon’s two-minute offense on a 61-yard drive for a touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the half. An eight-yard pass to Troy Aldrich, who caught the ball out of the air after a deflection, made the score 21-7 at halftime and Canyon’s defense clamped down on Notre Dame in the second half.

Bialas, a senior who threw for just 74 yards last week in a 14-7 win over Hart, deflected praise to a sturdy and impenetrable offensive line--he was sacked only once--and a sure-handed receiving crew. Aldrich, a tight end playing his first game at wide receiver, caught eight passes for 98 yards.

Canyon Coach Harry Welch, whose team improved to 3-0, glowed with approval.

“I told you we couldn’t pass,” Welch deadpanned.

The Cowboy defense, after surrendering 65 first-half rushing yards (56 to Fano Malieitulua), allowed just 15 in the second half.

In fact, most of Notre Dame quarterback Steve Colella’s 141 passing yards came after the game’s outcome had been decided.

Canyon also intercepted three passes, and, with backup tailback Mark Santos (20 carries, 105 yards, one touchdown), who twice dislocated his shoulder in the game added to the equation, Notre Dame is now 0-2.

“Honest to God, I’ve been coaching 25 years and Mark Santos is the toughest kid I’ve ever known,” Welch said.

Canyon seemed sluggish at the outset, especially on defense. Colella completed nine of 11 for 72 yards in the first half.

Jason Brenner scored on a two-yard run to give Canyon a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

Colella’s six-yard touchdown pass to Justin Mitchell in the second quarter tied the score, 7-7, and finally seemed to stir the Cowboys.

Canyon took over on its 34 and Bialas, operating confidently out of a well-protected pocket, picked apart Notre Dame.

Bialas hooked up twice with Aldrich, who had seven first-half catches for 69 yards, and then Santos plunged over from one yard to make it 14-7 with 3:30 left in the half.

Santos had kept the drive alive with an eight-yard run on fourth and one from the Canyon 43.