Defense Carries Bishop Amat

This is going to sound silly, talking about defense in a double-overtime shootout in which the teams combined for 77 points.

But two big plays by La Puente Bishop Amat High defensive back Andrew Gamez keyed the Lancers’ 42-35 victory over Redlands on Friday night at the University of Redlands in a Southern Section Division I first-round playoff game.

Gamez stopped Redlands fullback Rocky McBroom for a two-yard loss in the second overtime, then wrapped up quarterback Brandon D’Amico two plays later and watched his pass fall incomplete on fourth down as Bishop Amat escaped with the victory.

The Lancers (6-5) will play host to second-seeded Los Alamitos (10-0-1) on Friday in a quarterfinal game.

Bishop Amat running back Andrew Soto scored his fourth touchdown of the game on a one-yard run in the second overtime to give the Lancers the decisive score. Kicker Jamal Mitwasi converted his sixth extra-point attempt of the game to set the final margin.

Soto finished with 152 yards in 26 carries and was one of three Bishop Amat rushers to gain more than 100 yards as the Lancers piled up 384 yards rushing. Chris Seals gained 137 yards in 25 carries and Jonathan Robinson had 101 yards and two touchdowns in 17 carries.

Redlands (7-4), which rode the passing of D’Amico (258 yards, two touchdowns), converted a fourth and nine at the Bishop Amat 24-yard line in the second overtime when D’Amico connected with Michael Franco for a 10-yard gain. But the Terriers could not gain another first down after Gamez’s big plays.

The game was delayed 15 minutes in the second overtime as physicians attended to Bishop Amat linebacker Moe Vazquez. Coach Mike DiFiori said the junior suffered a sprained back and should be OK. He was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Zach James finished with 120 yards rushing in 18 carries for Redlands.

-- Ben Bolch

Ventura St. Bonaventure 35, Arroyo Grande 20 -- Clinging to an eight-point lead with 1:21 left, the Seraphs turned to Whitney Lewis, who broke off a 25-yard scoring run to seal the first-round Division IV victory at Santa Barbara City College.

St. Bonaventure (10-1), the Channel League champion making its debut in Division IV after winning three consecutive Division XI titles, knew Arroyo Grande (6-4) would offer a stiff challenge.

The Eagles used a punishing rushing attack to rally from a 28-6 halftime deficit. They pulled to within 28-20 with 1:40 left on freshman quarterback Kyle Pollack’s seven-yard touchdown run.

At that point, St. Bonaventure had been held to eight yards in the second half, but the Seraphs recovered the onside kick and let Lewis deliver the victory. He had three touchdowns in the game, including a two-yard run and 68-yard reception.

Brian Stevens completed nine of 15 passes for 181 yards for St. Bonaventure.

Arroyo Grande, the fourth-place finisher in the Pac-5 League, had 266 yards rushing.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 23, Palmdale Highland 7 -- The Swordsmen (7-3-1) relied on their defense as they forced three turnovers and held Highland (7-4) to 202 yards in a Division III first-round victory at St. Paul.

St. Paul defensive back Chris Valentino picked up a fumble by Highland running back Kris Theus and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds left in the half to push the lead to 16-7.

The Swordsmen limited Bulldog quarterback Gary Rosales to 12-of-29 passing for 118 yards and intercepted two passes. Theus, who had 1,355 yards rushing entering the game, was limited to 77 yards in 26 carries.

-- Eric Stephens

Arcadia 26, Beverly Hills 23 -- Michael Howe turned a short pass from Brian Ziska into an 83-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left as the Apaches escaped with a Division III first-round victory at Arcadia.

Beverly Hills (6-5) had taken its only lead of the game 41 seconds earlier on Jamie Mahtaban’s four-yard run.

Howe rushed for 221 yards in 29 carries and caught two passes for 99 yards and another score for the Apaches (10-1). Ziska completed six of 14 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score.

Ollie Linter completed 14 of 22 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown and gained a season-high 124 yards on the ground in 10 carries for Beverly Hills.

-- Steven Herbert

Ventura Buena 40, Santa Maria Righetti 34 -- Ryan Mole scored two of his five touchdowns in the final 9:42, but Josh Thomas’ 35-yard pass into the end zone fell incomplete with 35 seconds to play and Righetti (9-2) could not overcome Buena’s 20-point fourth-quarter advantage in a Division IV first-round game at Ventura High.

Mole, a 5-9 junior who rushed for 187 yards in 17 carries, returned a kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown and added a three-yard scoring run to trim the Buena lead to 40-34.

Buena running back Alex Garfio rushed 31 times for 176 yards and scored on touchdown runs of five, one and 40 yards. Justin Ishida rushed for 108 yards in three carries, including a 69-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Thomas completed 15 of 29 passes for 158 yards but his fourth-quarter interception was returned 46 yards for a touchdown by Randy Nava to give Buena (9-2) a 40-20 lead.

-- John Klima

Orange Lutheran 45, Irvine 14 -- Anthony Vernaglia caught three touchdown passes and returned a fumble 19 yards for a score as the Lancers won a Division VI first-round game at Brea Olinda.

Orange Lutheran (9-2), which competed in Division XI last season but won the Empire League title this year, scored 25 unanswered points in the first half.

Vernaglia caught a nine-yard scoring pass from quarterback Seth Blackamore two minutes into the game. After Pat Roxas scored on a one-yard run, Vernaglia recovered a fumble by Irvine quarterback Tyler Dugan that set up his second touchdown reception, this one covering 20 yards, to make it 19-0.

Blackamore completed 11 of 15 passes for 116 yards and Vernaglia finished with five catches for 52 yards.

Terrell Vinson, who came in with 1,805 yards rushing, was held to 53 yards in 19 carries for Irvine (6-5).

-- Dale Ruhe