Canyon Hammers Westminster in Division I Playoff Debut

Division I or Division II, it all must seem like a technicality to Canyon High’s Cowboys.

At least that’s the way it appeared Friday. Canyon’s day at the office ended with a 40-0 win over Westminster in a Southern Section Division I football playoff game at Westminster.

It marked the first Division I playoff game for Canyon (10-1), which moved up from Division II this season. But it was the same old Cowboys, whose offense broke loose for 28 third-quarter points and whose defense recorded its third shutout of the season.

Canyon limited Westminster to 154 total yards and the Cowboys, with two sacks each from Chuck Osborne and Billy Sivley, took down a trio of quarterbacks six times.

Canyon, which turned the ball over deep in Westminster territory on its first two drives, took a 12-0 halftime lead on a two-yard run by quarterback Kevin Bialas and a three-yard run by Scott Blade.

Canyon, which amassed 384 yards in offense, added four scores in the third quarter.

David McDivitt, who finished with a game-high 101 yards in 18 carries, scored from one yard and Bialas hit Troy Aldrich to extend Canyon’s lead to 20-0 with 10 minutes 29 seconds left.

The score was set up by Jim Zopelis’ 73-yard return of the second-half kickoff.

Zopelis--who had five receptions for 124 yards--added consecutive touchdown catches of 36 and 20 yards, which extended Canyon’s lead to 34-0 with 3:41 left in the quarter.

McDivitt added a 27-yard run with 1:03 left to conclude the scoring.

Bialas completed 11 of 17 for 216 yards and two touchdowns. But perhaps the most telling figure was seven--which is the the number of Westminster players who had to be helped off the field because of injuries.

Westminster (5-5-1), the No. 2 finisher in the Ocean League, had nearly as many penalty yards (91) as rushing (95) yards.

Westminster gained more yards returning kicks (179) than it did with its offense.