In a battle of perennial national powers, Bishop Gorman turns three turnovers into 21 points while avoiding three-game losing streak.
Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
Watch host Zack Poff break down the best games of the week, including De La Salle at Bishop Gorman.
Defending national champion
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) looked a little shaky early, but got life from an active defense to avoid a three-game losing streak.
The Gaels, ranked 23rd nationally, turned three turnovers into 21 points and rolled to an impressive 34-7 home victory over
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) on Saturday.
De La Salle controlled play early and took a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard touchdown keeper by quarterback
Erich Storti with 2:44 left in the first quarter. It capped a 10-play, 43-yard drive.
Gorman went nowhere on its first three possessions, but tied the game at 7-7 on the second play of the second quarter when
Isaac Tuia sacked Storti, who fumbled and
Adam Plant scooped it up and returned it 33 yards untouched for a touchdown.
Gorman forced another turnover at midfield on De La Salle's next possession and on the next play, UCLA-bound quarterback
Dorian Thompson-Robinson escaped pressure and fired a 50-yard TD pass to
Jalen Nailor. It was the first first down for Gorman, which led 14-7 with 9:22 left in the half.
To end the half, the Gaels finally put together an impressive drive, going 90 yards in 12 plays capped by an 11-yard TD pass from backup quarterback
Micah Bowens to All-American tight end
Brevin Jordan, making it 21-7 with 20 seconds left in the half.
Gorman's defense put a clamp on De La Salle's vaunted veer attack in the second half, got two field goals from Derek Ng (30 and 37 yards) and a five-yard touchdown run by
Amod Cianelli to make it 34-7 midway through the fourth quarter. De La Salle got inside the Gorman 10 twice down the stretch but the Gaels held on downs each time to finish off an impressive victory.
Gorman finished with 377 yards to 284 for De La Salle, which managed just 141 yards rushing on 50 carries (2.82 yards per carry). Jordan finished with six catches for 136 yards and Cianelli rushed 19 times for 82 yards.
The Gaels were coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2006 and neither was against slouches, losing to No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 35-21 and No. 15 Central (Miami, Fla.) 24-20.
This was only the second meeting between the two teams with De La Salle winning 28-14 at home in 2010. The teams are scheduled to play next season in Concord.
Next week, Bishop Gorman travels to 1-3 Bonanza (Las Vegas), while De La Salle hosts 4-0 Central (Fresno, Calif.).
De La Salle running back Shamar Garrett is stuffed by several Bishop Gorman defenders.
Photos by Jann Hendry
Gorman head coach Kenny Sanchez celebrates with his players following their victory over De La Salle.
